Morning After Pill Side Effects: What You Can Really Expect From Emergency Contraception

We live in a world with more contraceptive options than ever before, yet one thing is clear: regular contraceptives aren't always enough. Condoms break, women may suddenly realize they've forgotten to take the pill for a while, and unexpected sex has a way of happening, even to women who aren't using any birth control. In fact, roughly half of all pregnancies in the US are unintended. Though that doesn't necessarily mean they are also unwelcome, many women are desperate to avoid pregnancy even after the deed was done. That's where the morning-after pill comes in. 

Around 11 percent of American women aged between 15 and 44 have used the morning-after pill at some point in their lives. Most popular among younger women aged between 20 and 24, women use the morning-after pill because they are worried their contraceptive method failed and because they weren't using contraceptives at all in roughly equal amounts. Are you in a situation you think requires emergency contraception right now, or are you simply curious about what to expect from the morning-after pill? In this article, we'll answer your questions about the side effects of the morning-after pill.

What Is The Morning-After Pill, Exactly, And How Does It Work?

The term morning-after pill is a bit of a misnomer: women don't have to wait until the next day to take it, and some forms of emergency contraception are effective up to five days (120 hours) after unprotected intercourse now. The morning-after pill is a safe way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. It's also pretty effective — between 85 and 89 percent if taken within the recommended time frame. Because it's still less effective than regular contraception which can be more than 99 percent effective depending on the contraceptive and how it's used, the morning-after pill isn't recommended for routine use. Statistics show that most women don't use it more than once or twice, demonstrating that emergency contraception is used exactly in the manner intended by the majority of those who need it.

Morning-after pills can contain the active ingredient levonorgestrel (Plan B One Step and Next Choice One Dose, for instance), or ulipristal acetate (ella). These pills work by delaying ovulation, the release of an egg, and they may also prevent an egg from being fertilized. These pills are, contrary to popular belief, contraceptive pills and not abortion pills. Ella can be used up to five days after intercourse, while levonorgestrel-based pills are ideal within the first three days, though they can still be used on days four and five. 

READ Morning-After Pill Approved: Is It Really An Abortion Pill?

Are There Any Alternatives To Morning-After Pills?

Yes. The Paragard copper intrauterine device can be used as an emergency contraceptive, up to five days after unprotected intercourse. At 99.9 percent effective, Paragard is an excellent choice for women want to do everything in their power to prevent pregnancy. What's more, the IUD is left in place afterwards, preventing pregnancy very effectively for up to 10 years. Essentially, you have emergency and long-term contraceptives in one if you choose this option. The Paraguard can indeed interfere with the implantation of an already fertilized egg, so it is not suitable for women who have religious or philosophical problems with that fact. The other downside is that it is a lot more expensive — while the morning-after pill will cost you up to $65, the copper IUD can cost thousands if not covered by insurance.

Morning After Pill: Side Effects And Risks

First off, though most women can use the morning-after pill, it isn't quite for everyone. If you take barbiturates or St. John's wort, are already pregnant, are breastfeeding, or are allergic to any of the components of the morning-after pill, you should consult a doctor before going ahead, even if you can buy the pill over the counter. Breastfeeding women should stick to levonorgestrel-based pills, as should those who suspect they could already be pregnant — these pills won't harm your pregnancy in that case, they'll simply do nothing.

Side Effects You Can Expect From The Morning-After Pill

Your side effects may include lower abdominal pain or cramping, "odd" periods or bleeding in between periods, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, headache, and breast tenderness. Note that not all women will experience these side effects. In fact, only 20 percent of users experience headaches, while up to 14 percent have painful menstruation during the cycle following the mroning-after pill and up to 12 percent experience nausea. Those who have side effects do almost always find that they do not last longer than a few days. If you experience nausea, anti-nausea medications can help you out.

It's important to be aware of these possible side effects so you don't panic about being pregnant, since the side effects are very similar to early pregnancy symptoms. Remember that pregnancy symptoms do not show up right after conception, but rather closer to the date of a missed period or even afterwards. Do know that you need to take the morning-after pill again if you vomit within two hours of taking it, because it's highly possible the pill will have left your system in that case.

Fortunately, the morning-after pill has not been found to lead to any more serious side effects, despite the fact that millions of women use them.

Your period should show up within three weeks of taking the morning-after pill. If it doesn't, make sure you take a pregnancy test. Women who notice severe, stabbing abdominal pain and bleeding along with diziness, lightheadedness or fainting around the time their period was due should head to the ER immediately. These symptoms indicate ectopic pregnancy, a pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus. This is not caused by the morning-after pill, but it can happen despite taking it in some case. Because ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening emergency, it's symptoms should always be taken very seriously.

What's Next?

If you have successfully used the morning-after pill to prevent pregnancy and you weren't using regular contraceptives, now is the time to look into birth control options. The birth control pill, Paragard or Mirena IUDs, Depo Provera, Nexplanon and/or condoms may all be good options for you. Head to your family doctor, OBGYN, or women's health clinic for a consultation.

READ Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Testing And Prevention

If you may have been exposed to sexually transmitted diseases during unprotected sex, you should also get an STD check up now. Most STDs can be treated easily, leaving no long-term adverse health effects, if you are quick. If you have more serious STDs such as HIV, you will also want to know about it so that you can pursue adequate treatment options.