Emergency Contraception
What is Emergency Contraception?
Emergency contraception can be defined as a tablet that a woman takes within 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. When other forms of contraception have failed for various reasons, like a condom coming off or bursting during sex, it’s still termed unprotected sex.
How does our Emergency Contraception work?
You can now get Emergency Contraception in Tredegar and Caerphilly. It works by holding up the release of an egg in the ovulation phase of your menstrual cycle. Ovulation is then triggered by the rising levels of luteinising hormone (LH) in your body. When the levels of LH are high, the chances of the morning after pill preventing pregnancy are low.
So, it’s worth noting that you should take the pill as soon as possible after unprotected sex for it to work effectively.
You can take one of the two types of emergency contraception. These include ellaOne and Levonorgestrel. The latter is less effective once the LH levels go up. But ellaOne can still be effective later in the menstrual cycle.
Whichever pill you choose to take, you need to take it as soon as possible following unprotected sex, preferably the same day. You can order the emergency contraception pill from us and pick up the tablets on the same day.
Side effects of Emergency Contraception
The most frequent side effects of taking emergency contraception include:
- irregular bleeding,
- nausea,
- headaches
- abdominal or period pain
Can a man buy Emergency Contraception?
No. Only women can buy emergency contraception. To check if you are suitable you need to complete a questionnaire before purchase. You can only access it through the in-person collection.
Can Emergency Contraception protect me from STIs?
No. Emergency Contraception cannot protect you from STIs. Only use it to prevent pregnancy. It doesn’t protect you against STIs (sexually transmitted infections) including HIV, chlamydia, and genital warts.
To protect yourself from getting or spreading a sexually transmitted infection or disease, you MUST practise safe sex by first wearing a condom during sexual intercourse.
What is unprotected sex?
Unprotected sex is where no condoms or any form of birth control are used by those engaging in sexual intercourse.
It can happen when the involved people forget to use contraception. It can also be a situation where their preferred contraception has not worked.
What is safe sex?
Safe sex can be defined as a situation where people use condoms to help in the prevention of spreading sexually transmitted diseases and infections. The use of condoms is also a means of avoiding getting pregnant.
Contact us now to book your appointment or to discuss getting Emergency Contraception in Tredegar & Caerphilly
