Emergency Contraception: Side Effects, Benefits and FAQs
Side Effects
The Positive
Positive “side effects”? You bet. There are actually lots of things about birth control that are good for your body as well as your sex life.
- Offers protection and peace of mind after a "whoops" moment.
The Negative
Everyone worries about negative side effects, but for many women, they’re not a problem.* And if you do experience side effects with EC, they’ll probably go away after 24 hours.
- Can cause upset stomach and vomiting
- Could cause breast tenderness, irregular bleeding, dizziness, and headaches
- Frequent use can lead to irregular periods
- Using birth control pills as EC (known as the Yuzpe Method) increases the likelihood of side effects (especially nausea)
*For a very small number of women, there are risks of serious side effects.
Articles & Videos
Provider Perspective
5 Myths about the Emergency Contraceptive Pill, BustedWhen it comes to post-sex pregnancy prevention, don't believe the rumors.
Provider Perspective
Um, Can I Get Pregnant if...?It doesn’t matter how the sperm gets into your vagina—once it’s there, it can cause a pregnancy.
