Texts For Translation 2007
  Sexual Health

Emergency Contraception

REMEMBER:

This treatment is only an emergency measure to cope with your current situation. You should also consider which method of contraception will suit you in the near future, and make an appointment at the clinic or with your doctor to discuss this.

INFECTION:

If you are concerned about the risk of any sexually transmitted infection at this time please discuss this at the clinic.

PILLS:

What is involved:
A pill is taken as soon as possible.

How it works
May delay release of an egg, alter the lining of the womb and prevent any fertilised egg from settling in the womb.

If you have sex without using contraception or you think your method may have failed, there are two emergency methods you can use. These methods will usually prevent a pregnancy in the majority of women, but are NOT 100% effective.

Timing
You should take the treatment as soon as possible but within 3 days (72 hours) after sex.

Effectiveness
This method will work for 97-99 women in a 100 who take the pills correctly.
1 -3 women in every 100 may still become pregnant. Your chance of this method failing depends on where you are in your cycle when the risk happened and how quickly after this you are able to take the treatment. We will discuss this with you at the clinic. If you are at a high risk time of your cycle we would recommend the fitting of a coil (IUD).

Contraindications
You should mention if you have been medically advised not to take progestogen hormone. You will also be asked about other medicines (including St.John’s wort) you are taking as we may need to alter the dose of the treatment we prescribe for you. You should not take pill if you think you might already be pregnant. If it is more than 72 hours since the incident you should consider a coil but it may still be possible for a doctor to consider prescribing the pill for you up to 120 hours. The treatment is much less effective given late and is not licensed to be used after 72 hours.

Disadvantages
A small number of women may experience side-effects such as nausea, breast tenderness or tiredness. Some also have spot bleeding a few days after taking the tablets. If you are sick within 3 hours of taking the tablets you may not have sufficient hormone in your system and you should contact the clinic for further advice.

Next Period
May be slightly earlier or later.

Check up after treatment
You are not routinely asked to return unless you have any problems. If your period has not come within 3 weeks of the treatment you should have a pregnancy test.
If the treatment has failed and you have become pregnant, there is no evidence that it will have harmed the pregnancy.
As with all pregnancies, there is a small risk of an ectopic (pregnancy in the tube instead of the womb). For this reason if your period is very light or late, or you
suffer sever pain low down in your abdomen, it is very important that you contact the clinic or your GP.

Further Contraception
It is best to avoid sex until your next period comes. If you have sex, you should use effective contraception. You can obtain condoms from the clinic free of charge.

IUD (COIL)
Effectiveness as Emergency Contraception
This is more effective than the emergency contraception tablet. This method will work for more than 99.5 women out of every hundred. If you are at a high risk time of your cycle, if it is longer than 72 hours since the risk event, or you have had several episodes of unprotected sexual intercourse over the last few days you should consider this method.

What is involved?
Fitting a Coil (IUD) in the womb: A coil is a small T-Shaped plastic and copper device with threads on the end. It fits inside the womb. This involves an internal examination. There can be some discomfort but we can offer some pain relief to make this more comfortable.
Occasionally women feel quite crampy or light-headed and have to stay in the clinic longer.

How it works
May prevent fertilisation and also alters the lining of the womb and prevents any fertilised egg from settling in the womb. It can be relied upon for ongoing contraception.

Contraindications
Clinic staff will advise you. You should not have a coil fitted if there is any chance you are already pregnant.

Infection risks
There is a small increase in risk of a pelvic infection in the first 3 weeks after a coil is fitted. We will check swabs before the Coil is fitted and discuss whether to cover you with an antibiotic. You may be at risk of infection from the unprotected sex.

Next period
The first period may be heavier and longer. th

Check up after treatment
Your first check will be three to four weeks after treatment. You may wish to have the coil removed after a period or you can continue to use this as your ongoing method of contraception. If your period has not come within three weeks of the coil being fitted, you should have a pregnancy test checked. Again, if this method has failed there will, as with all pregnancies, be a small risk of ectopic pregnancy and it is important that this is ruled out.
If you have any problems after this treatment please contact the clinic or your own GP.

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