Is one emergency pill enough?

Will one emergency contraceptive pill be enough if we had unprotected sex multiple times the night before?

Safe sex is one of my favourite topics. No, it’s not my favourite in that way, silly – it’s just that I like talking about this issue.
Though many people love the act, too! Some do it in the name of pleasure; others call it ‘getting swept away in the moment’; and yet others blame the rain or even Bollywood movie songs.

One pill is enough but…

But to answer your question… The thing is, usually one birth control method is enough. An e-pill will either work or it won’t. It doesn’t really matter how many times you had unprotected sex in one night.

Emergency contraceptive pills – also known as ‘morning-after’ pills, and not to be confused with the abortion pill or the regular birth control pill– work the same as regular birth control pills in that they prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation. The only difference is the dosage and the shorter time period in which it works.

But since these pills can also have additional side effects, let’s be very clear: these pills should only be used in emergencies.

So you can have a sigh of relief now. But you need to understand that an emergency contraceptive pill should not be used as a regular form of birth control. I may be very liberal and open-minded, but unprotected sex really doesn’t go well with me. Just don’t do it.

Just for emergencies

You might feel as if I am overreacting. But according to my logic, having unprotected sex multiple times in a single night can obviously not be an emergency – at least most of the time. It actually sounds much more like unplanned, or irresponsible, sex

I know, I know, you don’t like using condoms because they de-sensitise sex and make it less intimate. Some might even claim that you and your partner are too drunk to have a conversation about contraception when in the throes of passion. But there is a reason why they’re called ‘emergency contraceptives’.

Future risks

Using these pills regularly can risk your chances at motherhood later in life. Many studies have shown that prolonged use of the drug can affect a pregnancy. These emergency pills mess with the body’s menstrual cycle. It’s not for nothing that these days more and more young women are facing fertility problems. Few realise how one’s irresponsible sexual behaviour in youth can have such harsh consequences in the future.

I think you’re a very smart girl. For now, you’re just fine because one emergency pill is enough to prevent pregnancy. And from now on, I hope you will avoid unprotected sex as much as possible.

How would you define an ’emergency’? Comment here or join in the discussions on our forum and on Facebook: Love Matters Kenya and Love Matters Naija.