Sex Fact: Emergency Contraception

Contributor: Kayla Kayla
When the condom breaks or you just forget to use protection, you have a couple different options. For one, do remember that the listed options only cover the chance of pregnancy; they will not cover any STIs, so seek further protection if you were put at chance for exposure of STIs.

For one, you can take the Emergency Contraception Pill which is effective up to 72 hours after sex (but is more effective the sooner it is taken). It is supposed to be about 75% to 89% effective (though it's hard to know exact numbers because of the nature of the morning-after pill). The side effects of the ECP are usually nausea and vomiting.

Another lesser-known alternative is an Emergency IUD insertion. An IUD is usually used for planned contraception, but it can be inserted in an emergency to be 99.9% effective at preventing an unwanted pregnancy.

Learn more sex facts like this in the The Big Bang book by Em and Lo.

Have you ever (or your partner) had to use Emergency Contraception? Which method would/did you prefer?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Yes, we've used emergency contraception.
22
No, we've used emergency contraception.
37
We used the emergency contraception pill.
16
We used an emergency IUD insertion.
If we had to use one, we'd use the emergency contraception pill.
49
If we had to use one, we'd use the emergency IUD insertion.
1
Total votes: 125 (82 voters)
Poll is closed
04/11/2011
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Contributor: BadassFatass BadassFatass
I've never had the need for emergency contraception but I can see using either method. I already have and IUD and it has worked very well for me so I would definitely get another one in the future.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
I used an herbal concoction for such stuff before I was able to get birth control. I did NOT want to have Mulder's fourth child.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Gallowraven Gallowraven
My fiancee and I had an "oops" and used the morning after pill. I didn't have any side effects that I noticed at all. If I absolutely had to, I would use it again. but I think, this time if we have an oops, I may just let it go, and see what becomes of it.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Red Vinyl Kitty Red Vinyl Kitty
We have had to use it twice, both times we used condoms, but we just didn't want to take the risk since the condom broke. The only side effect I remember is a bit of stomach pain and then I got an additional period! Aside from that I was fine.
04/11/2011
Contributor: sexyk515 sexyk515
i use it all the time
04/11/2011
Contributor: liilii080 liilii080
I feel lucky and knock on wood, I haven't had to take EC. Seeing the side effects it has on friends makes me a little nervous/hesitant (but I would absolutely take it if I had a slip.)
04/11/2011
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
I've taken the Plan B pill once. Lucky for me it worked fine and I didn't really have any side effects. I would feel comfortable taking it again if I needed to.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by sexyk515
i use it all the time
Are you aware of the risks?
04/11/2011
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
I have not had the need for emergency contraception. I do know it is available to me and should it become necessary we would use the pill formula. I am not comfortable with inserting anything into my uterus, IUD or otherwise.
04/11/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
When the condom breaks or you just forget to use protection, you have a couple different options. For one, do remember that the listed options only cover the chance of pregnancy; they will not cover any STIs, so seek further protection if you were ... more
Never have
04/11/2011
Contributor: MaryExy MaryExy
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I have not had the need for emergency contraception. I do know it is available to me and should it become necessary we would use the pill formula. I am not comfortable with inserting anything into my uterus, IUD or otherwise.
Ditto on the insertion. I haven't had to use emergency contraception, but if I did I think I'd use the pill.
04/11/2011
Contributor: married with children married with children
we never have. My wife and I are responsible in our sexual activities.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Sammi Sammi
I'd never heard of the emergency IUD before - it seems like it'd be much easier to take the EC pill.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Waterfall Waterfall
I have had to use the emergency contraceptive pill once. I didn't have any side effects (which I was surprised about because my stomach doesn't like me sometimes) but my period was a bit heavier the next month. The emergency IUD sounds like an intense form of emergency contraception, hadn't heard of it before.
04/11/2011
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
I also used the emergency contrapective pill just once. Hormonial birth control really was tough on me. I now have an IUD but considering the hassel I had to get it, I don't see how this could have been taken care of in an emergency situation. The IUD, for me, anyway, had to be inserted during my period.......
04/12/2011
Contributor: sexygoddess sexygoddess
If I had to.. Id use the pill. I dont know much about the other one
04/17/2011
Contributor: bayosgirl bayosgirl
If we had an "oops", we wouldn't worry about it. We want to have a baby anyway (ideally not RIGHT now, but sometime in the next few years) and I've heard horror stories about the morning after pill. Did not know about the emergency IUD. I wonder what the pros and cons would be vs. the pill?
08/04/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
While I was between IUD's (for various reasons)my husband and I were using condoms for contraception. We had FOUR condoms break. I decided to use the EC pill on two of those occasions because of where I was in my cycle.
08/04/2011
Contributor: Nipplopulous Nipplopulous
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
When the condom breaks or you just forget to use protection, you have a couple different options. For one, do remember that the listed options only cover the chance of pregnancy; they will not cover any STIs, so seek further protection if you were ... more
i think EC should be OTC
08/06/2011
Contributor: Becauseiamawoman Becauseiamawoman
Quote:
Originally posted by Sammi
I'd never heard of the emergency IUD before - it seems like it'd be much easier to take the EC pill.
An emergency IUD isn't something you take. You must have it inserted into your uterus as with a normal IUD. This is actually a form of contraception (one that is recommend as the most effective option I might add), and not emergency contraception. However, if you have an emergency you can get it inserted and it should prevent pregnancy although I can't imagine it would be more effective than simply taking the pill as early as possible. Its also worth noting that this option can be very expensive. In the long run, the price will even out but if your insurance doesn't cover it, this may not be the right option for you.
11/01/2011
Contributor: sweetcaroline sweetcaroline
Quote:
Originally posted by sexyk515
i use it all the time
That's not a good thing... have you considered getting on birth control?
11/10/2011
Contributor: Undead Undead
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
When the condom breaks or you just forget to use protection, you have a couple different options. For one, do remember that the listed options only cover the chance of pregnancy; they will not cover any STIs, so seek further protection if you were ... more
if we had to we would use the pill
12/31/2011
Contributor: switzerland switzerland
we've never had to. and i'm not sure we ever would...
12/31/2011
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Yes I've used the "pill" before.
12/31/2011
Contributor: Silverdrop Silverdrop
I've used the emergency contraception pill once, and would use it again if I needed to. I had an IUD once, and my body did not respond well to it. I had to have it removed 6 months later because I had stopped having a period and instead just had spotting every... single... day. Most women have an adjustment phase, but within a month or two are perfectly fine. I was just a rare case.
12/31/2011
Contributor: samanthalynn samanthalynn
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
When the condom breaks or you just forget to use protection, you have a couple different options. For one, do remember that the listed options only cover the chance of pregnancy; they will not cover any STIs, so seek further protection if you were ... more
i can see both methods but i never had to use ethier
02/09/2012
Contributor: JunexMommy JunexMommy
Ive used the emergency pill like twice in two months once! the first time i had bleeding liek a period with cramps the second time i had no side effects at all, I'd try both either an IUD or the pill.
04/08/2012
Contributor: pootpootpoot pootpootpoot
I've taken the morning after pill three times. The nausea was rough, but it was completely worth it.
04/24/2012
Contributor: badk1tty badk1tty
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
When the condom breaks or you just forget to use protection, you have a couple different options. For one, do remember that the listed options only cover the chance of pregnancy; they will not cover any STIs, so seek further protection if you were ... more
I've used the morning after pill once.
04/25/2012