Education about women’s sexual and reproductive health can be confusing. It’s hard to know what information to trust when it comes to topics like abortions, birth control, and emergency contraception.
Depending on our age and where we come from, some of us were informed to believe that birth control could solve many of our problems. As teen girls growing up in late 1980s Rockaway Beach, NY, my friends and I were informed that in addition to unwanted pregnancy, birth control pills, for instance, could help with common skin issues like acne, abnormal periods and excessive cramps. As a result, many of us started taking it, but now we know it’s not that simple. While birth control can help with some of those issues, it’s not a magical cure-all.
The same goes for LNG-ECP, more commonly known as “the morning-after pill.” Although it is a viable means to an end, some women received wildly conflicting information and dire warnings about it, like how it could ruin their bodies or would make women irresponsible and promiscuous. They were the kinds of alarm bells that didn’t only bring about pause but were downright terrifying.
It just shows how much farther we still have to go to ensure women have access to all the information they need without feeling ashamed to ask for it.
With this in mind, we’ve compiled comprehensive information about the morning-after pill. From when to take it to what happens to your body or whether it has an impact on fertility, rest assured, we’ve got you covered. Below are answers you may find useful, according to the experts.
LNG-ECP is an emergency contraceptive, not an abortion pill.
Emergency contraception comes in various forms. One of the most common is LNG-ECP, also known as “the morning-after pill. It is a single-dose emergency contraceptive that can be used up to three days after unprotected sex and is easily purchased over the counter at your local drugstore.
This form of emergency contraception works by preventing or delaying ovulation, stopping fertilization, or preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine lining. It greatly reduces the chances of getting pregnant, but it does not end a pregnancy that has already occurred.
On the other hand, the abortion pill “consists of a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol,” says Michelle Metz, an ob-gyn, in an interview with Byrdie. This medication is specifically used to terminate an existing pregnancy.
You’ll likely notice some side effects after taking the morning-after pill.
“Some women experience nausea, vomiting, or headache while others experience no side effects at all,” says Metz.
“Breast tenderness (progesterone causes the milk glands to swell), bloating, mood swings (caused by hormonal fluctuation), sleepiness, and/or dizziness are common after taking emergency contraception,” adds Zev Williams, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Medical Center. “Another way to think about it is this: If a pregnancy occurs, progesterone is produced in the placenta and levels remain elevated throughout the pregnancy—so, if you’re taking a progesterone pill, you’re getting all the symptoms of pregnancy.”
When you take it matters.
“It’s much more effective if you take it within 24 hours, but you can take emergency contraception up to 72 hours after unprotected sex,” instructs Metz. “In order for the morning-after pill to work, it has to be taken before ovulation has occurred,” continues Williams. “Data shows that after fertilization has happened, the morning-after pill won’t prevent the embryo from developing, traveling through the fallopian tube, or implanting in the uterus.”
UPA, an emergency contraceptive that needs a prescription, can be used within five days after having unprotected sex.
Taking the morning-after pill may influence your period.
“The morning-after pill can make your next period come late or early, and generally, it will be much heavier with more days of bleeding,” says Metz. “If your period doesn’t come, the first thing you should do is take a pregnancy test.”
It isn’t possible to take emergency contraception “too many” times.
“All the rumors you hear about [the morning-after pill] are completely untrue,” Charlotte Wilken-Jensen, head of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department at Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark told Vice. “Every formula of the morning-after pill advises you to take it only once every cycle, but really, you can safely take it anytime you have unprotected intercourse. Of course, if you take it more than once, your risks of side effects increase.”
Planned Parenthood shares the same advice. Per their website, “There is no limit to the number of times you can take the morning-after pill in your lifetime.” The organization also notes that it does not affect a woman’s fertility and will not prevent her from becoming pregnant in the future.
However, Planned Parenthood also emphasizes the importance of knowing that using emergency contraception pills repeatedly is not recommended as a regular method of birth control. It is intended for backup contraception only, not as a primary method.
