How does emergency contraception work?
Emergency contraception keeps a woman from getting pregnant by stopping: • ovulation, or stopping the ovaries from releasing eggs that can be fertilized; • fertilization, or stopping the egg from being fertilized by the sperm; • implantation, or stopping a fertilized egg from attaching itself to the wall of the uterus. If you are already pregnant, emergency contraception will NOT work. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, where the pregnancy develops outside of the uterus, it will also not work. This can be a serious condition that can be fatal. Signs of ectopic pregnancy include extreme pain on one or both sides of the lower abdomen, spotting blood, and feeling dizzy or faint. If you think you have an ectopic pregnancy, go to an emergency room right away.
According to the World Health Organization, emergency contraceptives do not interrupt pregnancy but rather prevent it, and thus their use is not a form of abortion. Women have the right to information and services on emergency contraception just as with all other safe and effective methods of family planning.
