I still got pregnant after taking an emergency contraception pill. Why didn't it work?

You mentioned that you got pregnant even after taking an emergency contraception pill, and wanted to know what are the chances, and why didn't it work for you. And so, to start with, I think the most important thing to understand is that emergency contraception is definitely not 100% effective. Studies have shown that 2 out of every 100 women who take emergency contraception pills (even within the recommended timeframe) still end up getting pregnant. And so it's definitely not 100%. And it's different from all other forms of contraception in the sense that it's taken after intercourse. It's not something that you take before or think about prior to. Emergency contraception pills are a combination of hormones and medications that interrupt the process of ovulation, in other words, the release of an egg that can then be fertilized by sperm. And there are different types of emergency contraception. Some are made to even interrupt the process of implantation, so if ovulation and fertilization has already happened, then the medication makes it less likely that it will implant and that the pregnancy will continue.

There are also side effects associated with these pills, and the symptoms are actually associated with pregnancy as well, so it leaves a lot of women wondering if they're pregnant. It can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, breast tenderness, and abdominal pain. It can also disrupt a woman's cycle and make her irregular even though she wasn't pregnant. Keep in mind that emergency contraception should be used as a backup method of contraception only. If you're going to be sexually active on a regular basis, it's best to talk with your doctor and use a reliable form of contraception. And there's lots of different options out there. Your doctor can help you decide which one will be best for you. If you're using condoms, and you just started a certain type of birth control, and you're worried that you may have conceived (if the condom broke or something), then that's when emergency contraception should be used, but it shouldn't be your go-to form of contraception.

So basically, if you think you may have conceived because there's a possibility that you had unprotected intercourse, even if you took an emergency contraception pill, you should take a home pregnancy test if the day comes when your period should have started and it didn't. That's the actual first sign of pregnancy. And if it's negative, repeat the test in about a week or so if you haven't started a regular period, and if you continue to get negative results, then you know you're not pregnant and you're probably having irregular cycles related to taking the emergency contraception pill. But if you go 3 months without a cycle, or you're having irregular bleeding or other symptoms that are unusual to you, talk with your doctor, and they can ask you more specific questions and decide if further investigation is warranted. If you have more questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at   / intermountainmoms  , and recommend us to your friends and family too.