Im sexually active and i have used 3-4 emergency pills in the last 2 months since than i have being having my period after every 10 days which would continue for 2 days. my normal period days is 3. is it the side effects of contraceptic pills?

Hello Anonymous,

Welcome to EmpowHER. I am glad you reached out to our community with your questions.

The change in your menstrual cycle might be linked to taking an emergency contraceptive dose in two consecutive months. Please speak with your gynecologist about this and consider your choices for other forms of birth control.

Very often, we get questions from women who have taken an ECP more than once and frequently. Here is some information that I hope will be helpful to you and all our readers.

An emergency contraceptive was developed for the use in emergencies. For example, if you have forgotten to take the pill or a condom rips. It contains a much higher dose of hormones than the normal contraceptive pill, which means that you should not use it regularly.

As it was not designed for continued use, medical trials only assessed its safety when used as advised. Whether taking an ECP on a regular basis has any implications for your health is not known.

There are many reasons why you should avoid using the morning after pill on a regular basis. For one, it is less effective than the contraceptive pill or the condom. Having unprotected sex and taking the emergency contraceptive pill is riskier than using contraception.

Anonymous, to address your question of could you be pregnant, an ECP is 95 % effective if taken as soon as possible and within 72 hours of contraceptive failure. It prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation. So, it is dependant upon where you are in your menstrual cycle when you take it.

In your case, you are having a period every 10 days. Your cycle is really off balance. You are not pregnant now, but how can you calculate when you might ovulate and if you are ovulating or just shedding uterine lining.

If you continue to be sexually active before you speak with or see your physician, please have your partner use a condom.

It is also worth considering that the morning after pill is far more expensive than other contraceptives and using it excessively will cost you more money than taking the pill or buying condoms. You should avoid using it several times in the same month, as this will cause changes in your period and upset your menstrual cycle.

Regards,
Maryann