Custom «Emergency Contraceptive Pills» Essay Paper Sample

Thesis statement

Pregnancy can be prevented even after unprotected sexual intercourse, as there are many options available to women evidenced by the availability of Emergency Contraceptive Pills.

Types of emergency contraceptive pills

There are four types of emergency contraceptive pills. They are classified according to the type of hormones used to prepare them. The first type contains hormone known as progestin. It is available for distribution in America only under the name Plan B. it has the ability of reducing chances of getting pregnant by an average of 89 percent. This type is safer than the other types in terms of possible side effects. Another type of emergency contraceptive pills contains a combination of two hormones. These hormones are progestin and estrogen. The probability of getting pregnant after using this type of contraceptive is 25 percent. Using them may result in a number of side effects (Hales, 2008).

The type number three contains ulipristal acetate. It is retailing in Europe market under the name elleOne. It is very much effective and body can easily accommodate its effects. It is one of the most effective methods of curbing unwanted pregnancy. It is effective even if taken five days after having unprotected sex. The last type contains traces of mifepristone. It is one of the most effective pills with fewer side effects. It is found in Asian countries markets.

How Emergency Contraceptive Pills work

Emergency Contraceptive Pills or "morning after" as they are commonly referred to contain hormones. These hormones interfere with pregnancy in a number of ways. One of them is delaying the release of ovum during a woman's menstrual cycle. They may also hamper the development uterine wall. The type which contains levonorgestrel does not interfere with an already implanted fetus.Latest types which contain ulipristal acetate as mentioned earlier works by delaying the release of female egg.

It is important to note that the use of these pills after having sex will not be effective. Two women in every hundred are likely to get pregnant even if they used emergency contraceptive pills. They are treated separately in research because of the manner in which they are used. Close monitoring by qualified medical personnel is highly recommended.

Using emergency pills may result in a number of side effects. Such effects are rampant on girls who use heavy dosage of the pills. Women receiving these pills are likely to experience some of the following side effects. Abdominal discomfort accompanied by general dizziness has been reported. Breasts are also expected to become tender and sometimes itchy. Rare cases of nausea and vomiting can be experienced by a woman using these pills. Since the pills work through causing hormonal imbalance, the girl may experience irregular menstrual cycle in the first two months after taking them. Careful consideration must be put so as to avoid bareness. To prevent this, every user of the drugs must ensure that the right dosage is taken and in situations where prescription is mandatory, it must be sought (Alters and Shiff, 2010).

It is recommended that use of emergency contraceptive pills should be limited to emergency cases and not a regular birth control method. The age limit in which these pills may be used should be carefully controlled to avoid child exploitation and misuse. Underage girls should use these pills only with parental guidance. Girls below the age of sixteen years are treated as minor. Legally speaking, they are not yet in a position to make sound judgments concerning their lives including what touches on their health. Instead of resorting to the use of emergency pills they should be counseled on importance of having protected sex or rather abstaining completely. Another reason as to why young girls should seek parental counsel before resorting to the pills is health concerns. It is obvious that these girls are still in their formative stage in terms of reproductive health. Any hormonal imbalance at this stage may cause a permanent disorientation in the girl's reproductive system.