Does emergency contraception still work after 24 hours?

Question

Hi doctor,

I had unprotected intercourse last night, and unfortunately, the condom broke about 24 hours after I took the emergency contraceptive pill.

Could you please advise on the likelihood of pregnancy in this situation? Should I take another dose, or will the previous one still be effective?

Thank you for your guidance.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Thanks for reaching out. You are probably still protected, as you took the pill before the condom broke. This is especially true if you took the pill within 72 hours of the first unprotected sex, since it works best when taken early.

Emergency contraceptives operate mostly by delaying ovulation. If the condom broke after 24 hours of taking the pill, you usually do not need to take a second dose. Taking another dose when you do not need to could potentially throw off your hormones.

But no emergency contraception is 100 % effective, and how well they work can change depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle. If your menstruation is more than a week late or you have any strange symptoms, you should take a pregnancy test.

If you have sex without protection and it is more than 72 hours since your last emergency pill, you might want to think about additional options like a copper intrauterine device (IUD) or a different tablet, if it is available. You do not need to take any more doses right now; just keep an eye on your cycle and symptoms.

I hope this answers your questions.

We appreciate your comments and use them to make patient care better.

Thanks.