The morning after pill serves to prevent an unwanted pregnancy and may cause some side effects like irregular menstruation, tiredness, headache, abdominal pain, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
The main unpleasant effects that the emergency contraceptive pill can cause are:
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Headache;
- Excessive tiredness;
- Bleeding outside the menstrual period;
- Breast tenderness;
- Abdominal pain;
- Diarrhea;
- Irregular menstruation, which may delay or delay bleeding.
Side effects can occur in both the single-dose levonorgestrel pill with one 1.5 mg tablet, as divided into two doses, with two 0.75 mg tablets.
Here's how to take and how the morning-after pill works and how your periods get after taking this emergency contraceptive.
What to do
Some side effects can be treated, or even avoided, as follows:
1. Nausea and vomiting
The person should be fed soon after ingesting the pill in order to reduce nausea. If nausea occurs, you can take a home remedy, such as ginger tea or Indian clove tea with cinnamon, or use anti-emetic medicines. See which pharmacy remedies you can take.
2. Headache and abdominal pain
If you experience headache or abdominal pain, you can take an analgesic such as paracetamol or dipyrone, for example. If you do not want to take more medicines, follow these 5 steps to relieve the headache.
3. Breast tenderness
To relieve the pain in the breasts, warm compresses can be put, as well as taking a bath with warm water and massaging the region.
4. Diarrhea
In cases of diarrhea, drink plenty of fluids, avoid greasy foods, eggs, milk and alcohol, and drink black tea, chamomile tea or guava leaves. Learn more about treating diarrhea.
Who can not take this pill
The morning after pill should not be used by men during breastfeeding, pregnancy or if the woman is allergic to any of the ingredients.
In addition, it is recommended to consult the gynecologist before using the pill in cases of high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, morbid obesity or in case of abnormal genital bleeding or of unknown origin.
Is it possible to get pregnant even if you take the morning-after pill?
Yes. Although it is a very reduced chance, it is possible to get pregnant even if you take the morning-after pill, especially if:
- The levonorgestrel-containing pill is not taken within the first 72 hours after unprotected intimate contact, or the ulipristal acetate-containing pill is not taken for up to 120 hours;
- The woman is taking antibiotics or other medicines that decrease the effect of the pill. Know which antibiotics cut the pill's effect;
- Vomiting or diarrhea occur within 4 hours of taking the pill;
- Ovulation has already occurred;
- The morning after pill has been taken several times in the same month.
In case of vomiting or diarrhea within 4 hours after taking the pill, the woman should consult the doctor or pharmacist because it may be necessary to take a new dose of the pill to take effect.
It is important to note that emergency oral contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
