How many days does the contraceptive pill last?

Abortion is very harmful to women's health. Therefore, women of childbearing age must take contraceptive measures when having sex. There are many ways to contraceptive in daily life. The most common ones are taking contraceptive pills, wearing condoms or wearing IUDs. The effects of different contraceptive methods are also different. Some people usually take emergency contraceptive pills for contraception. How many days can emergency contraceptive pills last?

How long does the emergency contraceptive pill last?

Emergency contraceptive pills are the only way to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse. They are usually taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse and are effective in preventing pregnancy. The earlier they are taken after sexual intercourse, the better the effect. Emergency contraceptive pills are only effective for the one sexual intercourse before taking the pills. They will not work as a contraceptive if you have sexual intercourse in the future. It is recommended that if you do not plan to get pregnant, you need to take other contraceptive measures. Emergency contraceptive pills should not be taken casually, as they can easily cause menstrual disorders. They are suitable for other contraceptive measures and are remedial measures after failure. They cannot be used as regular contraceptive pills.

Side effects of emergency contraception pills

Because of the drug effect of emergency contraceptive pills. Side effects such as nausea, vomiting, irregular uterine bleeding, and menstrual changes may occur, which can be relieved after taking the medicine for a period of time. If the symptoms are not long-term, the medication should be stopped and medical treatment should be sought.

1. Nausea

Nausea is the most common side effect, accounting for about 50%; levonorgestrel is second, accounting for about 20%; and mifepristone is the lowest, accounting for about 6%-7%. Nausea usually lasts no longer than 24 hours.

2. Vomiting

About 20% of women using the Yuzpe method for emergency contraception experience vomiting; about 5% with levonorgestrel; and about 1% with mifepristone. If you vomit within 1 hour after taking the emergency contraceptive pill, you should take another dose as soon as possible.

3. Irregular uterine bleeding

Some women will experience some spotting after taking the medicine, which generally does not require treatment. You should consult before taking the medicine.

4. Changes in ovulation period

Taking emergency contraceptive pills will affect the menstrual cycle, making it difficult to calculate the safe period in the following months.

5. Menstrual changes

If your period is delayed by a week, you should do a urine pregnancy test to determine whether emergency contraception has failed.

6. Others

Breast tenderness, headache, dizziness, fatigue, etc. These symptoms are generally mild and last no more than 24 hours. Severe breast pain and headache can be treated with aspirin or other painkillers.

Will emergency contraceptive pills affect menstruation?

Some women experience irregular menstruation after taking emergency contraceptive pills, such as early or delayed menstruation. If emergency contraceptive pills are taken within 72 hours in the first half of the menstrual cycle, it may have a greater impact on menstruation. If it is taken in the second half of the menstrual cycle, the interference with menstruation will be relatively small.

If the amount of bleeding during taking emergency contraceptive pills is similar to that of normal menstruation, you can treat it as a menstruation and adopt conventional contraceptive methods immediately after the bleeding stops. If the amount of bleeding is relatively small, no treatment is required, but you should still pay attention to contraception until the next menstruation.

After taking the medicine, most women with irregular menstruation will have their menstruation return to normal within 2-3 months. If menstruation is irregular for a long time, you should go to the hospital for relevant examinations.