Misconceptions persist about use of morning-after pill
As adults, college students are less bound by parental whims. The amount of sexual activity on campuses is easily observed, and while the wisdom of partner choices can be called into question, taking responsibility is not.
If you choose to have sex, you should also choose to protect yourself and your future, and that of your partner. Most students do this, according to Planned Parenthood, and I applaud their maturity. But with the wide range and variety of contraceptives available, the more important question becomes, “How?”
The morning-after pill, also known as the emergency-contraception pill, has long been a subject of debate and mystery but no longer should be. An influx of information made public, especially on the Internet. Media attention has also brought the pill into the spotlight and into the hands of sexually active adolescents and adults.
Yet questions about its origins and effects persist but remain unanswered. It’s not because of a lack of availability of information, it’s because people aren’t looking.
An effective method of birth control, the morning-after pill was originally developed in the 1970s and was intended for rape victims, according to Oregon Health and Science University. Shortly thereafter, religious groups stigmatized it as a form of medical abortion, but this is incorrect. ECPs do not terminate an established pregnancy; the pill prevents it from occurring to begin with.
Planned Parenthood reports the U.S. Department of Health and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists define pregnancy as beginning “when a pre-embryo completes implantation into the lining of the uterus.”
Like typical monthly birth control, ECPs work both to prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg to be fertilized, which can still occur after intercourse if the egg is released later and sperm is still present. They also prevent eggs that can be fertilized from implanting in the uterus.
According to Princeton University’s Office of Population Research, “If 100 women had unprotected sex once during their second or third week (of their cycle), about eight would become pregnant. Following treatment with ECPs, only two would become pregnant: a 75 percent reduction.”
There are two different types of pills, one with estrogen and progestin - a synthetic form of progesterone - and one with progestin only. The latter is more effective, with an 89 percent reduction rate and less risk of side effects such as nausea and vomiting.
One common misconception involves ECP’s side effects. Earlier forms of ECPs in the 1990s often brought about extreme nausea and sickness, but the effects of modern versions are much milder. But there still could be headaches, nausea and/or dizziness after taking the pill. In pills with estrogen, 50 percent experience nausea and 20 percent vomit; with progestin-only pills, 23 percent are nauseous and only 6 percent vomit, according to researchers at Princeton.
The earlier you take the pill after having sex, the more likely it is to be effective. It’s most effective in the initial 24-hour period, is usually effective in the following 72 hours, and can still be effective up to five days -120 hours - after intercourse. It does not protect you from pregnancy if taken before intercourse. There are no safety concerns with repeated use, and there is no link between use of the pill and birth defects, even if the pill is taken after you’re pregnant.
Data from Planned Parenthood’s Web site indicates most young men and women use some form of contraception, usually birth-control pills or condoms. While statistics indicate a general decline in sexual activities from the ’80s and ’90s, they simultaneously show an increase in contraception. Contrary to popular belief, not only are young people today taking responsibility for their sexual health, but promotion of contraception does not increase the likelihood of “losing it.”
This article was part of a special issue on Health. Read the original column online here.
