Care of the Patient Receiving Emergency Contraception

Care of the Patient receiving Emergency Contraception

1. Use of hormone pills to prevent a pregnancy after unprotected intercourse is called emergency contraception. This can be accomplished by using a variety of different pills.

Plan B

• Can be obtained at a pharmacy without a prescription, and is not available in the ED.
• Dose is 1 pill now, and 1 pill 12 hours later. Alternatively, both pills can be taken at the same time, and the effect is the same.
• Contains progesterone only, so has less side effects (mostly mild nausea).
• Evidence suggests that this is the most effective option. If 100 women have unprotected sex in the middle of their menstrual cycle (the time with the greatest chance of pregnancy), on average 8 will become pregnant. If all 100 of these women used Plan B within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, only 1 would become pregnant.

Other combined oral contraceptive pills (e.g. Ovral, Tri-cyclen, Alesse, Marvelon)

• These pills must be prescribed by a physician, and some types are available at the ED.
• The dose depends on the hormone content of the individual pills – ask your doctor how to use your birth control pills as emergency contraceptives.
• Contain both estrogen and progesterone, so have a slightly higher rate of side effects (mostly nausea, occasionally vomiting). You may take Gravol with the pills if you feel nauseous.
• If 100 women have unprotected sex in the middle of their menstrual cycle (the time with the greatest chance of pregnancy), on average 8 will become pregnant. If all 100 of these women used a combined oral contraceptive pill as emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, 2 would become pregnant.

1. Whichever pills you use, you should expect to have a period within 21 days. If you don’t, see your doctor about having a pregnancy test.
2. If you do become pregnant after using an emergency contraceptive pill, there is no evidence that the pills will do any harm to the baby.
3. Emergency contraception provides no protection against sexually transmitted infections (e.g. Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV). If you are worried about an infection, discuss it with the ED doctor or your primary care provider.

These instructions are not intended to be all-inclusive, and may not cover all possibilities. If a new problem develops, or if you have any further concerns or questions please contact your primary care provider, Telehealth Ontario at (866) 797-0000, or return to the ER.

RoyalVictoriaHospital of Barrie, 201 Georgian Drive, Barrie, OntarioL4M 6M2 (705)728-9802

RVH-3297 (Rev Nov 29, 2006)