The condom broke, you had unplanned/unprotected intercourse, you were forced to have unprotected intercourse.....it may not be too late to prevent pregnancy. Emergency contraception is designed to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Some people also refer to this as post-coital or morning-after birth control.

Emergency oral contraceptive pills, or ECP's, are birth control pills that are taken in higher doses than normally used daily to prevent pregnancy. Not all brands of birth control pills can be used in this way, but your health care provider can help you choose the right one for you.

So, how do ECP's work? ECP's prevent fertilization by inhibiting ovulation (release of the egg) and/or changing the way the sperm moves through the fallopian tube. It may also change the lining of the uterus so the egg can't "implant" or attach and grow. This is the same way in which birth control pills work when taken one pill per day throughout the month. Are ECP's a form of abortion? The medical community does not consider ECP's to be an abortion since it can't disrupt an already existing growing fetus. For some people, birth control methods used after fertilization may not be acceptable according to their personal ethics. Ultimately only you can decide if ECP's are right for you.

When can ECP's be used? ECP's can be used up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. If more than 3 days have passed pregnancy may have already occurred and ECP's will not be effective. When used properly ECP's can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 75%. This is not a guarantee that pregnancy will not occur and ECP's may not prevent an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. In addition, ECP's do not prevent sexually transmitted infections (STI's). Abstinence is the only 100% prevention for STI's and pregnancy. Can ECP's be used as a regular form of birth control? No. It is important to realize the effects of ECP's are only temporary and do not have long lasting contraceptive effects so, as soon as possible, a reliable method of birth control should be started.

Are there any side effects to using ECP's? Approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of women will experience nausea. This is temporary and the symptoms can be eased with over-the -counter anti-nausea medications. What if a woman becomes pregnant while taking ECP's? Currently there is no reason to think that ECP's would harm an unborn baby, but since there have been no long term studies of the effects of ECP's during pregnancy, it is recommended that a woman not use ECP's if she is pregnant.

For more information contact your family doctor or the Student Health Center.