The morning-after pill or oral emergency contraceptive pill is used to prevent pregnancy if the contraception is failed or was not used. The pill works for 3 days after sex but it works best within 12 hours. The hormone here present is levonorgestrel, a female-type hormone which is also present in many oral contraceptives.

In many countries these are prescription medicine and you have to consult with your doctor to get it. Many religions are against this because they interpret this sort of contraception is murder. In some of the countries it is over-the-counter medicine. The reason may be family planning. But, many misuse this without understanding all the effects; their aim is only to prevent pregnancy. We must educate the women exactly about the sexual relationship between men and women. A woman with good knowledge about sex health education will go for this very rarely. It is always to consult your doctor.

The morning-after pill prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg and alters the lining of the uterus so that a fertilized egg cannot embed there. It is very effective if it is used in time. IT WILL NOT HELP IF YOU ARE ALREADY PREGNANT.

It is used by women who have had unprotected sex or to help rape victims, couples who had condom break or women who had sex without her knowledge under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The side effects include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tender breasts
• Irregular bleeding
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Stomach pain
• Tiredness

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Levonorgestrel: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); severe and persistent lower stomach pain; missed menstrual period; spotting instead of your usual period.

Pregnancy is also a side effect of the morning-after pill.

Although 72 hours are given the problem starts after 24 hours or if the person had more than once sex. The rest risk for a pregnancy is always there.

But the threat to the society comes from the HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections. If you are infected you can infect your partner and also your children. Unprotected sex can spoil your life. If you are active in sexual life keep always condom with you.

To know more about sex health education including complete contraceptive methods read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education”. It is available as an e-book. Visit www.aaronverlag.com for further information.