Emergency contraception
Emergency situationEmergency situationA situation in which urgent action is required. For exampe: if a woman…Read more
If you have unprotected sexSexAll acts that can sexually arouse you. Sex is more than sexual intercourse.…Read more, you run the riskRiskPossibility that something unpleasant may happen, for example a disease.Read more of getting pregnant when you did not intend to.
You run a risk if you had sexual intercourseSexual intercourseSexual act in which the penis penetrates (enters) the vagina or anus.Read more in your fertile period and did not use contraception, or if something went wrong with the contraceptionContraceptionMeans and methods of preventing pregnancy. Condoms and the contraceptive pill are examples…Read more.
What to do?
If you want to become pregnant: do not do anything.
If you would rather not become pregnant, you have 2 options:
- Take the emergency contraceptive pillContraceptive pillPill that prevents pregnancy (a method of contraception). The contraceptive pill is only…Read more.
- Have a copper IUD fitted by a doctorDoctorSomeone who is trained to cure sick people. Doctors can prescribe medicines. A…Read more.
The emergency contraceptive pillEmergency contraceptive pillPill taken by a woman after sexual intercourse when she did not use…Read more
The emergency contraceptive pill is also called the “morning-after pill”.
The emergency contraceptive pill reduces the risk of pregnancyPregnancyThe time when a woman is expecting a baby. The pregnancy begins when…Read more after unprotected sexUnprotected sexSexual contact where the partners do not use a condom or other contraception.…Read more. The emergency contraceptive pill delays ovulationOvulationMoment at which a ripe egg cell is released from 1 of the…Read more. You can still get pregnant if you have already ovulated. Take the emergency contraceptive pill as soon as possible after sexSexThe biological fact of being a woman (girl) or a man (boy). Sometimes,…Read more. The sooner you take it, the higher the chance of not getting pregnant.
There are 2 kinds of emergency contraceptive pill:
- The emergency contraceptive pill that you can take up to 3 days after unprotected sex. There are various brands. The best known being Norlevo. Take the pill as soon as possible. Preferably within 24 hours after unprotected sex.
- The EllaOne emergency contraceptive pill. You can take this pill up to 5 days after you had sex.
The emergency contraceptive pill
The emergency contraceptive pill is not an abortion. The emergency contraceptive pill interrupts or delays ovulation. An abortionAbortionDeliberate termination of a pregnancy, for instance if the pregnancy threatens the woman's…Read more terminates an actual pregnancy.
The emergency contraceptive pill can be obtained at the pharmacyPharmacyShop where you can get medicines with a prescription from your doctor. Read more or drug store without a prescriptionPrescriptionSmall paper on which the doctor writes which medicines you have to take. With…Read more.
Contraception
If you had unprotected sex after taking the emergency contraceptive pill, you may become pregnant. Use a condom until your next menstruation. You should also use a condomCondomCovering of thin rubber that a man wears over his erect penis. A…Read more if you have started using a different form of contraception. You have to use contraception for 7 days in a row for it to protect against pregnancy.
Wait for 5 days after taking the EllaOne emergency contraceptive pill before you start to use the contraceptive pill, vaginal ring or a contraceptive patch. EllaOne does not work properly with these methods of contraception.
This means the emergency contraceptive pill is less reliable than other methods of contraception. If you need to take the emergency contraceptive pill frequently, consider whether another contraception would be more suitable for you.
Copper IUDIUDIUD means intrauterine device. It is a means of preventing pregnancy (a method…Read more
You can also go to your doctor for a copper IUD. The copper IUD prevents implantationImplantationWhen a fertilized egg cell attaches to the mucous membrane of the uterus.…Read more of a fertilised egg cellEgg cellFemale sex cell. A woman is born with many egg cells in her…Read more. This is a normal method of contraception that also works in emergency situations. In this way, you are protected against pregnancy for at least 5 or 10 years.
Copper IUD
Knowing whether you have an STISTISTI means sexually transmitted infection: an infection that is usually only transmitted by…Read more
When you have unprotected sex you run the risk of getting an STI. STIs often have no clear symptoms. Get yourself tested if you think you may have an STI.
Buying emergency contraception
The emergency contraceptive pill costs around € 12 – € 20. The EllaOne emergency contraceptive pill costs € 25. In the Netherlands, you can buy the emergency contraceptive pill without a prescription at a pharmacy, drug store or online.
A doctor can fit the copper IUD for about € 47 to € 120. Depending on the brand, you have to go back to the doctor after 5 to 10 years for a new copper IUD.
What does it cost?
Until the age of 21, most forms of contraception are reimbursed by your healthHealthFeeling physically, mentally and socially well in your environment. Health is more than…Read more insurance. However, you first have to pay the excessExcessThe excess (eigen risico) is the amount you have to pay yourself if…Read more (eigen risico) of your health insurance policy. Check with your health insurance provider to find out how much will be reimbursed. From the age of 21, contraception is only reimbursed if you have taken out additional insurance for contraception.
Emergency contraceptives are not reimbursed.