Morning after pill 'stashes' don't help

Some women will not use the morning after pill when they need it, even if it is given to them in advance, a study has shown.

7,500 women from various countries including China, India and Sweden were given a ‘stash’ of the emergency contraceptive to use if they had unprotected sex. In numerous cases, the women did not use them. The evidence suggests that difficulty obtaining the pill – which has generally been thought to be the reason more women do not use it – may not be the only factor stopping women from taking it. Better education about how the pill works could improve this situation, researchers say.

Another interesting aspect of this study, is that it contravenes the oft-made accusation that the pill encourages people (especially teens) to engage in casual sex. Even with the pill to hand, this didn’t impact on the amount of sex they had.

They also say that the availability of the morning after pill needs to be improved. Although available at GPs and pharmacies, it can be hard to get a prescription, especially at weekends when some surgeries may be closed or have longer waiting lists. Lead investigator of the latest trial, Chelsea Polis, called morning after pills “a safe and effective way to prevent unintended pregnancies for individual women who will use it when needed.”

New technology: ellaOne

The standard morning after pill is effective within 72 hours of having sex, but thanks to the latest technology, a pill called ellaOne that works for up to 5 days has been made available this year.

ellaOne works through a single tablet, which a woman can take within 120 days of sex. The faster it is taken following intercourse, the more likely it is to work. Clinical trials have shown that when taken within five days, 50% of unwanted pregnancies can be prevented by the pill.