(Corrie Pelc/ Medical News Today) — In survey data from 2017–2019, 28% of female respondents in the United States aged 15 to 44 reported having used emergency contraceptive pills — such as the morning-after pill, also known as “plan B” — at least once in their lives.
Emergency contraceptive pills are most effective when taken as close to the time of intercourse as possible, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise they can all be used within 5 days of unprotected sexual intercourse.
Nevertheless, some preparations have notably reduced effectiveness beyond 3 days.
Even with emergency contraception, pregnancy can still occur. And the longer a person waits to take it after intercourse, the more their pregnancy risk increases.
Now, researchers from The University of Hong Kong have found that taking an emergency contraceptive pill with an anti-inflammatory medication commonly used for arthritis pain helps prevent significantly more pregnancies compared to when the morning-after pill was taken alone. (…)