Contraceptive

[becks]

My friend has just told me that if you take two pills (the normal contraceptive pill) and then another two 12 hours later it works the same as the morning after pill. Is that true? Obv I;m much too sensible to use this as a form of contraception and this is NOT advice for any silly teenagers who are using this board in school hols. Just curious...

[jills]

your friend is completely wrong. not sure if she's being daft, or just got confused somehow. The two types of pill (contraceptive and morning after) work in entirely different ways, so it's just not possible that this idea of hers will work.

[rekstout]

I hate to disagree with jills but I remember when I was at Uni (6 yrs ago) that one of my housemates received the morning after pill on several occassions and what she received was a plain white box with a cut up pill pack with four pills in it. Not sure which type though - Microgynon maybe

[AllYourBase]

Please, take it from me, a qualified UK Pharmacist, that this is NOT true. Some years ago a product did exist that was used in a way similar to rekstout describes BUT this is not advice to be taken nowadays. The best forms of contraception are correct use of your prescribed contraceptive, making sure you ALWAYS use a condom until you have a regular partner. Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) is available from your Doctor, chemist (you may have to pay - this varies by area) or family planning clinic. It is effective up to 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. Further options are available from the FPC up to five days afterwards. STI's are on the rise again faster than ever, so please don't be careless - cover up!

[becks]

Thanks for the answers, am not likely to be using it as a form of contraception, don't worry simon, just couldn't believe this would work! ta

[secretspirit]

Obviously you have to take the scientists advice but on the one occasion I had to take the morning after pill I compared the ingredients to a pack of normal pills and I remember them being made of exactly the same stuff but in stronger amounts.