Chapter 3

Side Effects, Health Benefits, and Health Risks

Side Effects (see Managing Any Problems)

Some users report the following:

  • Changes in bleeding patterns, including:
    • Slight irregular bleeding for 1–2 days after taking ECPs
    • Monthly bleeding that starts earlier or later than expected

In the first several days after taking ECPs:

  • Nausea‡
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Breast tenderness
  • Dizziness
  • Vomiting‡

Known Health Benefits

Known Health Risks   

Help protect against:

  • Risks of pregnancy

None

‡Women using progestin-only or ulipristal acetate ECP formulations are much less likely to experience nausea and vomiting than women using estrogen and progestin ECP formulations.