Ask Our Expert - Morning After Pill Failure

November 08, 2009

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Specializing in pregnancy and birth.


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Ask Dr. Greenfield Morning After Pill Failure

QUESTION


Dear Dr. Greenfield, I just found out that I am six weeks pregnant. I took the morning after pill during the time I conceived; will this have a negative effect on my baby? — Elizabeth

ANSWER	June 21, 2001


Dear Elizabeth, You are not alone in this concern. While the morning after pill is a lot better than nothing, it is only 75 percent effective at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. In other words, it prevents three out of every four conceptions that would have occurred. Therefore a number of women became pregnant after failure of the morning after pill. The good news for you is that the types of emergency contraception that are available in the United States do not seem to cause birth defects or any other problems for the pregnancy when taken before the missed period. I hope that this answers your question. Good luck to you. — by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D.

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