There is still a lot of misinformation on this pill, which since 2015 can be freely acquired in pharmacies for around €20.
According to the report “Prevention of unplanned pregnancies using emergency contraception” from GynecologialEndcrinology, 61% of Spanish women do not take the postcoital pill after a risk relationship.
That is, 3 out of 5 women decide not to take the pill the day after for different reasons. The most common reasons are:
- Not perceive risk of pregnancy.
- For fear of side effects.
- For ideological reasons.
The day after pill
If you have had an unprotected sexual relationship (barrier or hormonal methods) it may be very important to take the postcoital pill, as there is a risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
The emergency pill can be purchased at the pharmacy, without the need for prescriptions and should be taken as soon as possible taking into account its effectiveness decreases the more the dose is delayed. It is best to do it in the first 24 hours, until 74 hours after sexual intercourse.
It is important to clarify that this pill does not serve as a usual contraceptive method, its use must be very specific and should not replace regular contraception.
The pill can have some side effects, although they do not always occur, nor at the same intensity in all women. The most frequent are:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Breast tenderness
- Bleeding between periods
- Fatigue
In the leaflet you can read some less frequent effects, which occur in very few cases. If you have a history of thrombosis, ectopic pregnancy, digestive or liver diseases, it is important that before taking it consult your doctor.
Given these precautions, you do not have to worry about side effects, and always in case of doubt, consult with the specialist.
There are also some myths around this pill, which can influence when it is taken or not. The most widespread, is that this pill is abortive, something totally false, since the morning after pill does not act on pregnancies, but to prevent them from occurring.
For more information about the morning after pill visit this link: https://www.centromedicoaragon.com/the-morning-after-pill-and-its-side-effects-n-19-en
