Whether it’s your go-to form of contraception or your occasional lifesaver after a night of unprotected sex, the morning after pill has in many households and intimate relationships earned a place of prominence for its ability to provide much-needed emergency contraception.

As its name suggests, the morning after pill is a form of emergency contraception often used the morning after unprotected sex has occurred in cases where no contraception method was used during sex or if the primary contraceptive method used fails due to torn condoms or missed birth control pills.

While morning after pills will not assist in ending a pregnancy that has already been implanted, they play a very important role in delaying or preventing ovulation, which will limit the possibilities of an unwanted pregnancy occurring.

How do I use the emergency contraceptive pill?

The emergency contraceptive pill should be taken (swallowed) as soon as possible after unprotected sex has occurred. There is generally a three to four-day window as to how soon the pill should be taken to achieve the desired result. However, this will depend on the type of pill you take. Speak to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist for further information.

What is good about the emergency contraceptive pill?

• It provides a safe alternative to reduce the risk of pregnancy after sex.
• You do not require a prescription from a doctor to purchase the pill.

Risks and challenges of using the morning after pill

Though morning after pills generally come with many benefits to their user, usage of the pill does not come without risks and challenges.

Before you make the decision to ingest a morning after pill, it is important that you note the following risks that come with usage:

1. The morning-after pill is not as effective as other forms of contraception and is therefore not recommended for routine use.

2. The morning after pill can fail even with correct use, and it offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases/infections.

3. The morning after pill isn’t appropriate for everyone. Don’t take a morning-after pill if:

• You’re allergic to any component of the morning after pill
• You’re taking certain medications that can decrease the effectiveness of the morning after pill, such as barbiturates or St John’s Wort.

In addition to these risks, taking the morning after pill may also come with side effects such as breast tenderness, bleeding between periods, dizziness, fatigue, headache, lower abdominal pain and nausea or vomiting.