Emergency contraceptive
| Background | |
|---|---|
| Type | Hormonal (progestin or others) or intrauterine |
| First use | 1970s |
| Failure rates (per use) | |
| Perfect use | ECP: see article text IUD: under 1% |
| Typical use | % (please see Effectiveness of ECPs below) |
| Usage | |
| User reminders | Pregnancy test required if no period seen after 3 weeks |
| Advantages and disadvantages | |
| STI protection | No |
| Periods | ECP may disrupt next menstrual period by couple days. IUDs may make menstruation heavier and more painful |
| Benefits | IUDs may be subsequently left in place for ongoing contraception |
| Risks | As per methods |
| Medical notes | |
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Combined estrogrogen/progestin pills of Yuzpe regimen now superseded by better-tolerated and more effective progestin-only pill. |
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Combined estrogrogen/progestin pills of Yuzpe regimen now superseded by better-tolerated and more effective progestin-only pill.
Progestin only ECP licensed for use within 3 days of unprotected intercourse, Ulipristal acetate and IUDs within 5 days.
Emergency contraception (EC), or emergency postcoital contraception, are birth control measures that may be used after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
Forms of EC include:
Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) (sometimes referred to as emergency hormonal contraception, EHC) may contain higher doses of the same hormones (estrogens, progestins, or both) found in regular combined oral contraceptive pills. Taken after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure, such higher doses may prevent pregnancy from occurring.
Three types of emergency contraceptive pills are available: combined estrogen and progestin pills, progestin-only (levonorgestrel, LNG) pills, and antiprogestin (ulipristal acetate or mifepristone) pills. Progestin-only and antiprogestin pills are available as dedicated (specifically packaged for use as) emergency contraceptive pills. Combined estrogen and progestin pills are no longer available as dedicated emergency contraceptive pills, but certain regular combined oral contraceptive pills may be used as emergency contraceptive pills.
Progestin-only emergency contraceptive pills contain levonorgestrel, either as a single tablet or as a split dose of two tablets taken 12 hours apart, effective up to 72 hours after intercourse. Progestin-only ECPs are sold under many different brand names. Progestin-only ECPs are available over-the-counter (OTC) in several countries (e.g. Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, India, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, United States), from a pharmacist without a prescription, and available with a prescription in some other countries.
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