Five Common Misconceptions About The Morning After Pill

The morning after pill is used as an emergency contraception to be taken to avoid pregnancy after engaging in unprotected sex. To some people, it’s controversial, though often for the wrong reasons as will be explored in this article. The morning after pill is actually one of two emergency contraception’s on the market and despite what many people think, the risks are minimal and it’s actually very safe according to most studies.

One such study by the Family Planning Association, which quantified the results from a survey from over 2000 British women, sought to tell the truth about morning after pill myths.

Five Lies About The Morning After Pill

• It’s the only form of emergency contraception – As previously mentioned, the morning after pill is not the only form of emergency contraception. Also known as the ‘emergency coil,’ the emergency IUD is also available to avoid unwanted pregnancies after unprotected sex and is inserted into the uterus by a trained medical professional. Both, so far, have proved safe for most women.
• It’s only effective for 24 hours – Actually, the morning after pill can be effective up to five days after unprotected sex. It is of course recommended that to minimise the risks of pregnancy, the pill should be taken as soon as possible following sex, but if more than a day goes by, you shouldn’t be put off taking the pill thinking it would prove useless.
• It’s the same as an abortion – The morning after pill prevents the implantation of a fertilised egg and, therefore, is far from being the same as an abortion. Those who don’t like the idea of an abortion should be rest assured that the morning after bill is still contraception – a pregnancy preventer – rather than thinking of it as an early abortion.
• It can make you infertile – According to the study by the Family Planning Association, many women are concerned that repeated use of the morning after pill can result in infertility. In actual fact, the effects of the morning after pill are only temporary and are extremely unlikely to result in any negative consequences, though this doesn’t mean we recommend using it as an alternative to other forms of contraception
• It’s difficult to get hold of – This is again quite untrue in the UK. Most pharmacies or doctors will be able to supply you with the morning after pill. Plus, for those who don’t want to face a professional, it is possible to order the morning pill online.

The morning after pill, in reality, poses little risk to health and is in fact quite a safe way to prevent unwanted pregnancies. However, it won’t help reduce the spread of infections, so other forms of contraception should always be used where possible. However, there’s no big reason to be afraid of the pill if you’ve very recently had unprotected sex and wish to prevent a pregnancy from happening.