How Safe is Emergency Contraception?

An emergency contraceptive pill is used for the purpose of avoiding pregnancy after having unprotected sex. It is a type of birth control pill. This is otherwise commonly called as the “morning – after” pill. There are two types of pills namely copper intrauterine device – IUD and an emergency contraceptive pill. Though there are many speculations regarding the safety of a morning -after pill, read on to understand how well it serves its purpose.

Overall, research and doctors claim that emergency pills are safe. There is no particular case of risk or health issues pertaining to the consumption of such pills. However, there are many alternatives like birth control pills and methods to opt for instead of these emergency pills every time as it might not be as effective in avoiding a pregnancy.

If you wonder how safe it is to go with such emergency contraception pills then here are the factors on how and when to use it to remain safe.

There are a number of factors to consider if you have decided to use an EC. These include: 

• Your height and weight
• The type of EC that is accessible to you
• The time at which you had unprotected sex
• If you have been breastfeeding
• If you are pregnant already
• Taking two or more of the same morning – after pills might make you prone to various illnesses. So, if you are taking these, have just one.  
• And do not have two types of same EC pills within a few hours of having the first one. Increasing the quantity is not going to prevent you from being pregnant.
• ECP for the obese – All emergency contraceptive pills are good to go with, irrespective of their effects on obese women. There is absolutely no harm in using it.
• Cardio problems – ECP might not be advised by some physicians as it can make you prone to cardiovascular diseases, stroke and blood clots. However, one dose of ECP is not going to harm you at all. Still, consulting your doctor before taking one, is a good idea.
• Women who are pregnant must avoid any type of ECP as it might lead to uterine infections, cervical cancer and other inflammatory diseases in the pelvis.
• At times a certain number of birth control pills can also be used as emergency contraceptive pills under the guidance of your doctor.

To conclude, emergency pills are easy to use and harmless with no medical complications on record due to its repeated usage. But these pills are not that effective when compared to other types of birth control measures such as IUD, implant or condoms.  

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