However it happened, the result is the same.
What is emergency contraception?
It does not reverse a pregnancy, and it is not an abortion pill.
Emergency contraception does not affect your future fertility, or your ability to get pregnant in the future.
How can you prevent pregnancyafterhaving sex?
But until they meet an egg, and that egg implants in your uterus, you are not pregnant.
Think back to that stopwatchyou have until it hits 120 hours to take a form of emergency contraception.
What are my options for emergency contraception?
There are three kinds of emergency contraception.
Levonorgestrel pills reduce pregnancy risk by81-90%, and ulipristal reduces it by 97%.
That sounds great, but there are some strong caveats well discuss below.
Additionally, copper IUDs can sometimes make periods more painful or heavier.
So while its technically one of your options, its nowhere near as good as the others.
First, if youve started ovulating, neither Plan B or Ella may work.
Ella can work a little closer to ovulation, which is why its often a better choice.
Because of this timing issue, taking the pills as soon as possible is key.
Medications can also interact with oral ECs.
And then there is one other, major issue that impacts effectiveness for many people: weight and BMI.
For Ella, its 194lbs, or 30 BMI.
(Both are FDA-approved for use in people of any weight, so these are not hard limits.)
The efficacy of these pills may drop when youre above that weight threshold.
(And before you ask: Taking a double dose is not recommended.)
We spoke to Kelly Cleland, executive director of the American Society for Emergency Contraception, for advice.
More effective emergency contraception options are even more critical in those tweaks.
If this is the only option available to you, its worth taking.
On numbers alone, IUDs are more effective, so in theory theyd be the slam-dunk option.
Its also important to think about what you would do if the EC fails.
How much does emergency contraception cost and where do you get it?
To find out, call the number on the back of your insurance card.
No matter how mortified you are (and you shouldnt be!)
To obtain Ella, on the other hand, youll need a prescription and around $50.
But there are ways to get a prescription quickly.
First, see if thePlanned Parenthood appis available in your state and consider other online options likeNurxorPRJKT RUBY.
In some states,the pharmacistcan prescribe it.
These pills are not a bulletproof vest.
Take a pregnancy test two to three weeks after the emergency contraception.
Buy the test while youre at the drugstore getting your Plan B or Ella.
I became pregnant after taking Ella.Take the test.
You canbuy it well aheadof time, and insurance should still cover it.
Pharmacies will order it for you, but time is precious.
Ordering it ahead of time means its in your bathroom cabinet when you need it.
