Have no fear, emergency contraception is here! Emergency contraception has been available for over thirty years, but it didn’t gain much press until the recent approval of “Plan B” by the U.S. Drug and Food Administration. While emergency contraception is completely safe to use, note that it should not be used as a regular means of birth control. There should always be a first line of defense like a condom, a diaphragm, birth control pills, an OrthoEvra patch, a Nuvaring, etc. But, if something goes wrong with one of these forms of control, there are two types of safe and effective emergency contraception available: Intrauterine Devices (better known as IUDs), and hormone pills.

IUDs can be inserted up to five days after unprotected sex, and only 1 out of 1,000 women who use this form of prevention usually get pregnant. IUDs are ordinarily a form of preventative birth control, but they are not used very often due to the high risk of associated uterine infections.

Hormone pills are the most commonly used form of emergency birth control. They can be given in either a combination of different hormones or as progestin-only pills like those offered as “Plan B.”

Hormone pills work by “fooling” the body into thinking it is pregnant, preventing the potentially fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall. If the egg cannot attach to the uterine lining, pregnancy cannot occur. Though several different brands offer hormone combination pills, each option requires taking pills in a specific order at a certain time.

What is now becoming much more popular is the use of pills like “Plan B” that only contain progestin. “Plan B” is 89% effective when used within 72 hours of having unprotected sex; combination hormones are only 75% effective. There is a caveat, of course-hormone therapy must be started within 120 hours of unprotected intercourse.

The risk of taking these hormones is minimal, and they will do no harm to the female body or the fertilized egg should pregnancy occur. Many women do experience side effects like nausea and vomiting. It is recommended that women take Dramaminer or Boniner, two types of motion sickness medications, before taking hormone pills to reduce the risk of nausea. Only 25% of women vomit after taking “Plan B,” compared to the 50% that reportedly vomit after taking combination hormones. As a result, “Plan B” offers a more pleasant experience for the person taking the pills and also ensures that more appropriate levels of medication stay in a woman’s system.

If you are ever in need of emergency contraception while at Wash. U., Student Health Services offers “Plan B” for $10. There are also counselors and doctors available to address any questions or concerns you or your significant other may have.

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