Scrambling for Prevention
by Melissa
For me, making the decision to take emergency contraception after the condom broke was the easy part. Finding a place to obtain a prescription was nearly impossible! I was a freshman in a small college town. My boyfriend and I were careful. We always remembered to use condoms when we had sex even though I was on the pill. So when the condom broke, I thought, "No big deal!" Then I looked at my compact of birth control pills and realized I had missed a pill the day before. Oops! This was potentially turning into a very big deal …
Being 17 and in school, it was clear to me that I was in no position to have a baby anytime soon. Thanks to my women's health classes, I knew of an option open to me that could prevent this whole mess before it started—emergency contraception (EC). I was informed of how it worked and knew the race was on for me to get it within 120 hours of the accident.
I called places I knew should provide EC. I was appalled to find options limited. The University Health Center did me no good and Planned Parenthood was only distributing EC all the way across town. I remember thinking, "How irritating! Could this be any less accessible?!"
After borrowing a friend's car, my boyfriend and I made it to Planned Parenthood and I took my first dose of pills. We went back home, rented some movies and prepared for what might be a long night. But, no need—I had no side effects whatsoever, even after the second dose of pills 12 hours later. A week later I got my period. No trauma, no drama.
Thank you, EC! I'm so glad I got to finish school and get a great job after college because I wasn't tied down by an unintended pregnancy.
I learned that it's best to be prepared and get a prescription for EC filled well before you need it. Trust me, the last thing you want to have to do is scramble around and do damage control when the condom breaks. I keep a packet of EC in my medicine cabinet, because you never know!
MORE INFORMATION >>
Articles & Stories >> How to Get Emergency Contraception :: Myths & Facts :: Glossary :: Bibliography :: Scrambling for Prevention
What Can I Do >> Rights. Respect. Responsibility.® Emergency Contraception Campaign
More Facts >> The Facts—EC Is a Safe & Effective Option for Teens :: Informational Pamphlet for Teens :: Issues for Health Care Providers & Educators
Related Resources >> Sexual Assault :: Local Clinics and Hotlines
 Send this page to a friend >>
|
