iPill Emergency Contraceptive Pill
Contraception is something that ought to be on the mind of any sexually active female (or male) and birth control is something which ought to be utilized each and every time a couple is intimate, unless they are actively trying to get pregnant. Unfortunately, condoms have been known to break despite good intentions. More unfortunately, some women have found themselves on the wrong end of male aggression and will want to use emergency contraception, like the iPill, for obvious (and very understandable) reasons. These situations aside, there are also those who will experience at least one moment of poor planning or poor judgment, resulting in waking up the next morning with a worried mind. It is for these situations such as these that the iPill exists.
What is the morning after pill?
The iPill, which is made by a company called Cipla, is meant for those cases when unprotected sex has taken place. It really ought to be used immediately thereafter, but if you haven't got access to it immediately, it can be used within the first 72 hours following intimacy.
Do I need a prescription for the iPill?
No. You can purchase the morning after pill over the counter at your local pharmacy, or you can purchase it online in privacy from retailers like Amazon.com You can also purchase Plan B in a similar fashion.
How does it work?
It prevents pregnancy (which doesn't occur until a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus.) iPill works by either preventing an egg from being released; preventing sperm and egg from meeting, or preventing a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall. It is therefore NOT an abortion pill.
iPill Efficacy
The iPill is about 95% effective when used during the first 24 hours following intimacy. The longer you wait, the less effective could be. If, for example, you wait until 49 hours have passed the efficacy is only 58%. Therefore, if you're going to use it, you should do so asap.
iPill Safety
The iPill will not harm an already existing fetus. And if you're in the 5% for whom the iPill is ineffective, it will not harm the fetus which forms as a result of that particular act of intimacy; if you become pregnant anyway, you can carry that baby to term without worrying about complications from the iPill. The pill is also safe to use when breastfeeding.
What the iPill isn't:
It's not a regular method of birth control. It's meant for emergencies only.
It's not an abortion pill. See above explanation.
It's not protection against STDs.
It's not an absolute guarantee that you won't get pregnant -- you still need to keep track of your menstrual cycle in the following weeks to make sure. You may also want to get a pregnancy test.
