Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I took the emergency pill ten hours after having unprotected sex because I was ovulating. I am very scared and worried that it might fail due to ovulation.
Please help.
Thank you.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I understand your concern.
Since you took the emergency pill within ten hours, that is good timing because the sooner it is taken, the more effective it is. Emergency pills mainly work by delaying ovulation, so if you have not released the egg yet, even if you were close to ovulating, the pill can still delay it and reduce the chance of pregnancy.
However, if ovulation had already occurred before you took the pill, it may be less effective. If you are basing ovulation on a tracking app, remember that apps only provide predictions and can often be off by a few days. There is still a good chance the pill will work since you took it early.
You may notice that your next period comes earlier or later than usual, you may experience some spotting, and you might have mild side effects such as nausea or breast tenderness. It is recommended to take a pregnancy test fourteen days after intercourse or if your period is more than seven days late.
Try to stay calm because you acted quickly, which is important. If you would like, you can share the first day of your last period and your usual cycle length, and I can help estimate your risk more clearly.
I hope this helps.
Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.
Thank you.
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