Birth Control Options for Women - Emergency Contraception

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• Nausea and vomiting
• Lower abdominal pain
• Headaches
• Dizziness and fatigue
• Breast tenderness
• Fluid retention
• Changes in the timing or flow of the woman's next menstrual period including a period that is heavier or lighter than normal

Ulipristal “Morning-After” Pill. In 2010, the FDA approved ella, a new type of morning-after pill that contains the antiprogestin drug ulipristal acetate. Ella can be taken up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected intercourse and works just as well on the first day as the fifth day. Side effects are similar to those of levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pills. Ella is available only by prescription.

Emergency Contraceptive IUD

An alternative emergency contraceptive is insertion of a copper-releasing intrauterine device (IUD) within 5 days (120 hours) of unprotected intercourse. It can be removed after the woman's next period, or left in place to provide ongoing contraception. The copper IUD reduces the risk of pregnancy by 99.9%.

Review Date: 09/28/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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