Women who have unprotected sex with their partner, or who have multiple sexual partners, are at higher risk of becoming pregnant against their will. Married women can also face this problem at times, when the contraceptive method chosen by them does not work and prevents pregnancy. For such cases, you can always use commercially available emergency contraception and avoid unwanted pregnancy. As such, you have two options to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. One uses the morning-after pill, while the other uses an IUD, a small T-shaped piece of plastic or copper that is placed at the opening of the womb to prevent sperm from entering the womb. But, oral contraception is the most popular method among women to prevent pregnancy and can be effective up to 3-5 days after unprotected intercourse.

emergency contraceptive pills

The most popular emergency contraceptive pills available on the market are Levonelle and ellaOne; of which Levonelle is effective for up to 3 days after unprotected intercourse, while ellaOne is effective for up to 5 days. ellaOne, due to its effectiveness, is becoming a preference among women.

Both pills work by releasing the female hormone progesterone, which in natural conditions, when a woman is pregnant, prevents the egg from being fertilized, and if an egg is fertilized, it prevents it from implanting in her womb.

Levonelle – The morning after pill

Levonelle is more commonly known as the ‘morning after pill’, which has been shown to be 95% effective in preventing pregnancy in women, but is most effective when taken within the first 24 hours. This pill can be taken by women over the age of 18, but should be avoided by women who are already pregnant and those with severe liver dysfunction. This pill, with the help of its active ingredient levonorgestrel, tricks her body into thinking that ovulation has already occurred so that an egg will not be produced. It also thickens the natural mucus in the womb so that a sperm cannot enter and fertilize an egg. You can take this pill with or without food. If in case you vomit within two to three hours after taking the pill, you should take another one as soon as possible and also consult your doctor or nurse. Some of the most common side effects of Levonelle are headaches, stomach pain, diarrhea, and fatigue.

ellaOne – The latest development

ellaOne is an emergency contraceptive pill, which can be used to prevent an unwanted pregnancy up to 5 days or 120 hours after unprotected intercourse. This pill has been shown to be almost 98% effective in preventing pregnancy in women, but is considered to be most effective when taken in the initial 3-day period. Women over 18 years of age can take this pill. It’s also safe for you if you’re breastfeeding, but you should avoid it for 36 hours after taking the pill. The pill should not be taken if you are taking medications for conditions such as HIV, bacterial infections, and herbal remedies such as St. John’s wort, as the effectiveness of the pills may be decreased. The most common side effects are irregular bleeding, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, lower abdominal pain, dizziness, and late period.

Women who are worried about weight gain can now avoid that situation with the help of emergency contraceptive pills.