Situation Guides
What to do in different scenarios
Emergency Contraception After Unprotected Sex
If you've had unprotected sex and want to prevent pregnancy, emergency contraception can help. Postinor is 95% effective within 24 hours, and Mifestad works up to 5 days. The sooner you take it, the better it works.
Condom Broke or Slipped? Here's What to Do
Condom failure is a valid reason for emergency contraception. Take EC as soon as possible - Postinor (95% effective within 24 hours) or Mifestad (effective up to 5 days). Also consider STI testing if your partner's status is unknown.
Missed Birth Control Pills? Here's What to Do
If you've missed birth control pills and had unprotected sex, you may need emergency contraception. The risk depends on how many pills you missed and where in your pack you are. Postinor is usually recommended since it won't interfere with your regular birth control.
Late for Your Contraceptive Injection? Here's What to Do
If your contraceptive injection (Depo-Provera) is more than 2 weeks late and you've had unprotected sex, emergency contraception is recommended. Get your injection as soon as possible and use backup contraception for 7 days.
IUD Fell Out or Moved? Here's What to Do
If your IUD has been expelled or moved out of place and you've had unprotected sex, you need emergency contraception immediately. IUD expulsion removes your pregnancy protection entirely. Take EC and see a healthcare provider to confirm IUD status.
Emergency Contraception After Sexual Assault
You have the right to access emergency contraception after sexual assault, with no questions about circumstances. EC is most effective when taken as soon as possible - up to 5 days after. You are in control of this decision. Support is available if you want it.
When emergency contraception is the right next step
Emergency contraception is appropriate after any event that creates a meaningful risk of unintended pregnancy and where ongoing contraception was missing, failed, or incomplete. The most common triggers we see at Ruth Health are unprotected sex (no contraception used at all), condom failure (breakage, slippage, or being on too late), missed birth control pills, late contraceptive injections, and IUD displacement or removal sooner than expected.
Sexual assault is another situation where emergency contraception can be part of the care plan. In those circumstances, we strongly encourage seeking medical care at a hospital with a women's protection unit or a trusted clinic that can provide both immediate care and longer-term support services. Ruth Health can dispatch EC alongside that care but should not be a substitute for the hospital evaluation.
Each situation guide in this section starts by validating the event — yes, this is a real reason to look up EC — and then walks through the practical questions that follow. How much time has passed since the event? Which product fits that window? How do you order or pick up the medication quickly? What should you watch for in the next few days, and when should you take a pregnancy test?
The situation guides also explain when emergency contraception is not necessary. For example, a condom that came off during withdrawal but did not contact vaginal fluid may not require EC, and a single missed birth control pill is sometimes handled by following the pill pack's missed-dose instructions rather than taking EC. The detailed guides walk through these edge cases instead of pushing a blanket recommendation.
Following up after taking emergency contraception
After taking EC, the body usually returns to its normal cycle within a week. Your next period may arrive a few days earlier or later than expected, and you may experience spotting, nausea, or fatigue for a day or two. None of those are signs that the medication failed; they're typical hormonal responses.
The most important follow-up step is a pregnancy test if your period is more than seven days late. Ruth Health support can help with that decision and with the next step regardless of the result. Most situations resolve with the next normal period and a refreshed plan for ongoing contraception, which is why each situation guide ends with a short pointer to longer-term birth control options that may fit your life better than relying on EC again.