PREGNANCY PREVENTION

Emergency contraception does not guarantee you will not become pregnant, but it can reduce your risk. Emergency contraception within five days after sex can prevent more than 95% of pregnancies.5 That means about 5% or less of the time, you still have a chance of getting pregnant.

You will want to monitor your menstrual cycle after having unprotected sex. Also, remember that a morning-after pill can cause spotting and alter the flow of your period. That can make it hard to tell if you are pregnant, so if your period is over a week late, take a pregnancy test.

You can also become pregnant after having unprotected sex during menstrual bleeding, though it's less likely. The first day of the menstrual cycle starts with menstrual bleeding. Sperm can live inside the female reproductive tract for five days. Ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovary, is necessary for pregnancy. Typically, ovulation happens between days 11–14 of a regular 28-day menstrual cycle.6

Still, emergency contraceptive There are two types of emergency contraception to consider: emergency contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs) that contain copper. Here is a breakdown of three options: Plan B, ella, and Paragard.

Plan B

Also known as a morning-after pill, Plan B is one of the first hormonal products that the Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency contraception.

A progestin-only pill, Plan B can prevent ovulation and fertilization if you take the pill within three days of unprotected sex.7 Plan B can also prevent an embryo from implanting in the uterus by changing the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. The sooner you take Plan B, the better.

Anyone can buy Plan B and its generic counterparts over the counter, so you do not need a prescription. Although, you may have to ask the pharmacist. Plan B costs between $20 and $50.8

You may want to keep Plan B on hand for emergency cases, Christopher Estes, MD, a healthcare provider specializing in functional medicine at the Miami Beach Comprehensive Wellness Center in Florida, told Health.

Side effects of Plan B include:8

Changes to your next menstrual cycle

Nausea or vomiting

Abdominal pain

Fatigue

Tender breasts

Dizziness or headaches

You will need to take another pill to ensure its effectiveness if you vomit within two hours of taking Plan B.

Ella

Like Plan B, the Food and Drug Administration has approved ella (or ella One) as an emergency contraceptive. Generally, ella works the same way as Plan B, except it's effective if you take it as many as five days after having unprotected sex.

While Plan B is progestin-only, Ella is ulipristal acetate. According to one study published in 2011, ulipristal acetate attaches to receptors on progesterone molecules. The medication creates an anti-progesterone effect inside the body.9

That effect suppresses ovulation and prevents the tissue lining inside the uterus from thickening. Ovulation and thick uterine tissue are necessary for pregnancy to occur.

Like Plan B, the side effects of Ella include nausea, tiredness, headache, and dizziness.

Paragard

Another type of emergency contraception is Paragard, a hormone-free, copper IUD. Copper-bearing IUDs are one of the most effective types of emergency contraception.5 A healthcare provider must insert ParaGard within five days after having unprotected sex.

Paragard works because of one key component: copper. Copper IUD help prevent the sperm from reaching and fertilizing the egg and an embryo from implanting in the uterus.10 Unlike the two emergency contraceptive pills, Paragard is effective at preventing pregnancy for up to 10 years if it remains in the proper place.

Side effects include cramping and bleeding between periods. Those side effects usually go away after the first few months.

Paragard costs anywhere between $500 and $1,300 without insurance.ion can lower your risk of becoming pregnant