So things were getting hot and heavy, you were moving fast, clothes flying everywhere. It was a great time. Did you use a condom? Oh no. Or maybe you did, and the little thing broke. But you're OK, you're on birth control pills, right? Yeah…except you've forgotten to take them four days in a row.
So what do you do? You know you're not ready for kids — you can barely feed yourself with a 160-meal plan, let alone a screaming, pooping little brat. The guy is bugging you, freaking out that you're going to have his baby and take all his beer money to raise it. Or maybe he has no idea anything went wrong at all. You're not on your own, and you've got options.
What is emergency contraception?
Emergency contraception is used to help prevent pregnancy after a woman has had sex without using a birth control method, or if the method she used failed. It is not the same thing as "the abortion pill," and will not work if the woman is already pregnant.
What kinds of emergency contraception are there?
Emergency contraception pills (ECPs) are just superhero versions of normal birth control pills. These work by preventing fertilization of the egg. Plan B is a progestin-only version, and it is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved pill for this exact purpose. Plan B works best if taken right after the "event" but can still be effective if taken within five days.
An intrauterine device (IUD) can also be used as emergency contraception. The little contraption can be inserted by a doctor within five days of the "oops," and it works similarly to the ECPs. You can have the gadget taken out once you're in the clear, or you can leave it in there for 10 years and use it as your primary birth control.
How well does it work?
The sooner you take it, the more likely you won't become the 9-month home of a mini-jumbo, and you have to actually use it correctly. The Emergency Contraception Website (www.not-2-late.com) reports, "Labeling for Plan B One-Step and Next Choice states that the treatment prevents seven of eight pregnancies that otherwise would have occurred … And if you take these progestin-only emergency contraceptive pills within the first 24 hours after sex, they reduce your risk of pregnancy by up to 95%."
Are there side effects?
Full-disclosure time: At least from personal experience, the only side effects of Emergency Contraception — Plan B specifically — were some nausea and a little bit of guilt because the lady in line at the pharmacy was juggling six kids and seemed pretty jealous. WomensHealth.gov states, "Some women feel sick and throw up after taking ECPs. Headache, cramps and fatigue can also occur." IUDs have more risks, since getting one is a more serious procedure than just popping some pills. However, the risks are pretty rare, and your doctor can explain more.
So how do I get it?
You can get emergency contraception right here on campus! Run your hopefully-not-pregnant self over to Health Service any time they're open. It's confidential and only $14 — plus you can put it on your tuition bill… take that mom and dad!
We hope this helps in any emergency situation you might encounter. Remember, as glamorous as teen pregnancy seems on "Teen Mom," raising a kid at Tufts seems like a pretty awful idea. It's also important to remember that emergency contraception doesn't do jack to prevent STDs, so using a condom is still the best idea. Go pick the free ones up at Health Service. They're plaid. You know you want to.
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Alison Williams and Sarah Gottlieb are both sophomores who have not yet declared their majors. Williams can be reached at Alison.Williams@tufts.edu, and Gottlieb can be reached at Sarah.Gottlieb@tufts.edu.
