Description
The morning-after pill is a high-dose combination of the female hormones estrogen and progestin. This form of contraception should only be used in an emergency situation for a woman who has had unprotected intercourse or in the case where the chosen contraception has failed. Do not take any abnormal doses of birth control medication without consulting a physician! The morning-after pill slows the speed at which the egg travels through the fallopian tube and changes the uterine lining so that the egg cannot attach itself to the uteral wall. The uteral lining sloughs off, either taking the egg with it or making the uterus inhospitable to implantation.

Effectiveness
The overall effectiveness of the morning-after pill is 75%. Women who become pregnant despite taking the pill have a higher risk of harming the fetus, and many doctors recommend a therapeutic abortion. Ask a doctor for details about this potential concern.

Directions
The morning-after pill must be taken within 72 hours of having unprotected intercourse. However, for maximum effectiveness it should be taken within the first 12-24 hours. Normally, you are given two pills to take immediately and two more to be taken 12 hours later. If you experience vomiting within 2 hours of taking the pills, then two more pills should be taken. It may be a good idea to take an anti-nausea drug such as Gravol. Please consult with your physician about taking the morning-after pill. If you do not have your period in the next three weeks be sure to have a pregnancy test.

Drawbacks
These high dosages may disrupt the menstrual cycle and cause extremely uncomfortable side effects. The morning-after pill is an unpleasant experience to say the least. Many women who take the pill experience severe stomach upset, nausea and vomiting. Women who have taken the pill have described it as similar to having a really bad stomach flu that can last from 4-48 hours. If the combination of hormones does not prevent pregnancy, they may harm the fetus, and you should consider the possibility of having to have an abortion should the method fail.