How It Works | Side Effects | Where To Get From in SG | FAQ and Myths

When I was out with my friends recently, someone shared that their 20-year-old cousin was getting married because his girlfriend got unexpe ctedly pregnant . They were not financially or mentally prepared for a child yet, and were both still in school. Though I respect their decision to become parents, my honest first reaction was, “Why didn’t they use protection, or take the Morning After pill after any accidents?” My friend replied that they probably didn’t know about such options due to lack of education, and might not have even known what to search about online.

So today, we’re giving you a lesson on all things Plan B. We hope that after reading this, you will be better equipped to make more informed choices and take charge of their own sexual health and wellness!

How do Morning After pills work?

Morning After pills work to prevent a pregnancy, it cannot end one. These pills do not kill the sperm or even a fertilised egg in the event that fertilisation has already happened.

Morning After pills contain a synthetic hormone called levonorgestrel, which is also present in birth control pills. To increase its effectiveness, Morning After pills contain a bigger dose of the hormone. This is how Morning After pills work to prevent pregnancy:

Temporarily stopping ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary)
Preventing fertilisation
Preventing a fertilised egg from attaching to the uterus by changing the uterine lining

Without any egg released, there’s nothing for the sperm to meet, hence successfully preventing fertilisation.

But what happens if an egg has already been fertilised?

According to the US Food & Drug Administration, if fertilisation does occur, Morning After pills MAY prevent implantation (the act of the fertilised egg attaching to the womb), but if the fertilised egg is implanted prior to taking the Morning After pill, it would not work. Since the success rate of the Morning After pills are not guaranteed post-fertilisation, it’s important to take a Morning After pill as soon as possible after any accidents.

When taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, Morning After pills can reduce the chance of pregnancy by 75 - 89 percent.

So are Morning After pills ineffective after 72 hours?

Research has shown that Morning After pills are still moderately effective when taken between 72 - 120 hours after sex, but do note that its effectiveness decreases the longer you wait.

What are some of the side effects of Morning After pills?

Some of the common side effects include headaches, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and breast tenderness.

These side effects are likely to go away within a few days, with no long term repercussions. The side effects experienced are also universal despite the brand of Morning After pills taken.

How do Morning After pills affect periods?

After taking the pill, you might experience some irregular bleeding in the form of spotting to heavier bleeding before your next period. Your menstrual cycle will be affected in the way your body responds to the additional hormones, and can create different responses in different bodies. Some experienced their periods coming sooner, while some noted that their periods ended up coming a few days or a week later.

Constant usage of Morning After pills can cause a natural menstrual cycle to be disrupted.

How can I get Morning After pills in Singapore?

Any type of emergency contraception is only available with a prescription, so you would need to consult a doctor (a General Practitioner is fine). Do note that a wom an must consult the doctor herself, so her partner is unable to do it on her behalf. While most if not all doctors are qualified to prescribe the morning after pill, not every clinic may carry it or have a team that’s familiar with women’s health.

And since timing is essential when dealing with Morning After pills, telehealth consultations might be your best option! Not to mention the convenience since you can do it from your own home, and it also saves you any awkwardness since the telehealth doctors would be specialised to handle women’s sexual health matters.

Here are some local telehealth platforms where you can get Morning After Pills from!

Frequently Asked Questions and Myths

Will taking Morning After pills damage my reproductive organs?

Taking Morning After pills will not impact your fertility in any way, regardless of the number of times you take it. While Morning After pills contain more hormones than birth control pills, the dosage is not high enough to have long term effects on the body. Morning After pills simply prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs once, and your chances of getting pregnant will return to normal after that.

Is there a weight limit?

Research has shown that those with a BMI of 30 or more or have a higher weight of 70kg and above are linked to lower levels of effectiveness of Morning After pills. The reason: according to a study, people under this category of weight bands had a significantly lower level of levonorgestrel in their bloodstream after taking Morning After pills, which suggests that the pills may be less effective. That said, it’s important to note that the data available for review was limited in both scale and diversity, and more research is still being done to prove these theories.

To be safe, opting for Copper IUDs as an emergency contraception might be more suitable, as they do not have any weight limit, and are more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancies. The IUD will be fully functional as long as it is inserted within 5 days of unprotected sex.

So, does this mean I can take as many Morning After pills within a period cycle as long as I need one?

While you can do this (since taking Morning After pills multiple times does not change its effectiveness, and neither would you experience long term side effects), it would be better for you to invest in other forms of contraception that are more effective in preventing pregnancy, not to mention that it would likely be cheaper as well.

How long does a Morning After pill last in the body?

Once ingested, the Morning After pill can last for about 5-6 days in the female reproductive tract, the same amount of time that a sperm will be able to stay alive. The Morning After pills only protect you for a single instance of unprotected sex, however, so do remember to use other forms of contraception when you have sex again after.

According to Donald Downing, a pharmacist and clinical professor at the University of Washington Seattle, who was part of the team that developed the original Plan B, you need to be even more conscious about using regular birth control after taking emergency contraception, since these medications delay ovulation instead of preventing it entirely. The egg might end up being released after the 5-6 day time period, and your chances of pregnancy from unprotected sex might then be even higher.

In addition, keep in mind that emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so you still need to use a condom!

How Do Morning After Pills Work & More