Summary

The best time to take emergency contraceptive pills (also known as the Morning-after pill), is within 72 hours (3 days) of having unprotected sex. It is also taken in case of failure of your regular method of birth control. If taken after 3 days of having unprotected sex, the pill may not work at all. Please note that the emergency contraceptive pill has a failure rate of 10-18% even if taken on time! This means that even if you take the pill within 72 hours, you still have a small chance of getting pregnant.

More information

The ECP available in India is made of Levonorgestrel. The i-pill and Unwanted72 are some common brands in India. In the US, it is commonly known by the brand name of Plan B One Step. The ECP is taken within 72 hours (or 3 days) after unprotected sex, or failure of your regular method of contraception. If you end-up not having taken an ECP after 72 hours but 120 hours (5 days) have not yet passed, the Copper-T IUD is a good option.

Levonorgestrel can prevent pregnancy by preventing fertilisation and works differently based on where you are in your menstrual cycle. If you have not yet ovulated, it prevents the release of an egg from your ovaries. In case you have already ovulated, these pills create a hostile environment in the uterus with respect to fertilisation and implantation.

Do not take any extra doses except if that is something recommended or mentioned on the pack as that will not provide you any extra protection and instead will leave you with a lot of side effects. Note, that if you vomit or have diarrhea within 3 hours of taking the pill, you must take it again. Also, please do not try to take the emergency contraceptive pill as a replacement for long term/regular methods of contraception like condoms, IUDs, birth control pills and so on.

Please remember that the emergency contraceptive pill does not help you terminate a pregnancy if you have already conceived. It cannot be used as an abortion pill.



Sources :

1-https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/emergency-contraception