Emergency contraception and the "morning-after" pill

Award-winning adolescent physican Diane Tanaka, MD's explains everything that you need to know about the "morning after pill" and what it really does to you.
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Emergency contraception and the "morning-after" pill

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So what is the 'morning-after' pill? I think a lot of people are becoming more aware of its existence and we've actually switched the terminology - emergency contraception, because a lot of people were feeling like they could only use at the morning after an accident or unprotected event of intercourse. And so what we know is you can use the morning after pill or the emergency contraception up to 5 days from your last unprotected sexual intercourse or coitus. It is very safe. It is essentially the same hormones that you find in a regular birth control pill. However, you are taking it for a much shorter duration of time. So even if a young woman has a medical condition that would prohibit her of being on a month long method such as a month long supply of birth control pills she can go ahead and safely use emergency contraception to protect herself from getting pregnant. You can get the morning after pill either through prescription through your physician and in certain states and it will be important to find out what the laws are in your particular state that you live in, you can actually get in over the counter. Or directly from a pharmacist without a prescription. So that even makes access easier for people who need to utilize the morning after pill because you don't have to go and make an appointment with your doctor first. You could actually walk into your local drug store, pharmacy and ask for it.

Award-winning adolescent physican Diane Tanaka, MD's explains everything that you need to know about the "morning after pill" and what it really does to you.

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Diane Tanaka, MD

Adolescent Medicine Physician

Dr. Tanaka is an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics and the medical director of the Homeless Adolescent and Young Adult Wellness Center and the MyVOICE Adolescent Transition Program, both at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Tanaka went to University of California, Davis for medical school and did her residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Tanaka's primary speciality is Adolescent Medicine, and her clinical interests include: menstrual disorders, substance use and abuse, and the treatment of sexually transmitted infections. She currently serves at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and was awarded the Barbara Korsch Medical Education Award at CHLA in 2008 and listed in Castle Connely’s directory of top physicians in 2009.

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