The Morning After Pills are taken within 72 hours (3days) of unprotected sex or when a method that is used fails (condom breaks during sex). By taking the pills you may be able to prevent pregnancy. The Morning After Pill does not cause a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) and is not considered an abortion pill. The morning after pill has been available in the U.S. for over 25 years.

	How does the Morning After Pill work?

The high dose of birth control pills can stop an unwanted pregnancy in different ways depending on the time of your menstrual cycle. They will send different signals to your body. The hormones cause the following in order to avoid pregnancy:

• prevent the release of the egg from the ovary
  
  
• prevent the fertilization of an egg
  
  
• prevent the fertilized egg from implanting on the wall of the uterus,
  where it begins to grow.

	When should you think about using Emergency Contraception?

• You have sex without any type of birth control.
  
  
• You are using condoms and you think that the condom broke or
  fell off during sex.
  
  
• You are using a diaphragm and you did not use it correctly or you
  noticed a hole in it.
  
  
• You are using birth control pills and you forget to take your pill for more
  than two days consecutively.
  
  
• You have been a victim of rape.

	How do I take emergency contraception?

You have up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex to take Emergency Contraception/The Morning After Pill. We provide you with the pills. You will
swallow a couple of these high dose pills and then 12 hours later take another
dose, as prescribed by the physician.

	Could I take the morning after pill and still get pregnant?

The sooner the pills are taken the more effective they are. The pills can be 98%
effective if taken correctly.

	Side effects with the morning after pill?

The side effects will only last a short time. Most women have some nausea, others
may have more sever nausea. Taking the pills with food and a glass of milk is the
best way to help prevent an upset stomach. If you do vomit, you should call the
office to see if more pills are needed. Very rare, but more serious side effects can
be: blood clots in the legs or lungs, stroke, heart attack (greatest risk for women
35 or older that smoke heavily), liver damage, liver tumor, gall bladder disease,
high blood pressure, or death that may occur from one of these side effects.

	Will I have any bleeding after taking the morning after pill?

Yes. If you do not have any bleeding within three weeks after taking the pills you
should call our office immediately. You will need to take a pregnancy test and
speak with the doctor.

	Are there any danger signals to look for after taking the pills?

You should call the office if you experience any of these symptoms:

• Chest or arm pain
  
  
• Shortness of breath or persistent cough
  
  
• Unusual swelling or pain in the legs
  
  
• Numbness in any part of your body
  
  
• Blurry or double vision
  
  
• Pain in the abdomen
  
  
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)

	Are there other medicines that will make The Morning After Pill NOT work?

• Anti-Convulsant Drugs
  Phenobarbital, Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Primidone, Ethosuximide,
  Phenytoin (Dilantin)
  
  
• Antibiotics
  Rifampin, Penicillin,Ampicillin, Metronidazole, Tetracycline, Nitrofurantoin,
  Sulfa drugs
   
• Antifungals
  Diflucan, Fluocnazole