Emergency Contraception- the "Morning-After Pill"

"To err is human, to forgive is divine."

Despite best efforts, accidents can happen. In this case, we are talking about unprotected sexual intercourse and the possibility of undesired pregnancy. This could involve teens and young singles, and also married couples who do not yet want to have children or do not want to have more children.

Medication is available that can really lower the likelihood of pregnancy occurring in this event. Higher than normal doses of birth control pills can prevent a fertilized egg from becoming a fetus.

Specifically, these medications can keep an egg (or ovum) which has been fertilized by sperm from being able to implant (stick to) the inside of the uterus, and hence from eventually going on to become a fetus.

Mind you, if you feel or believe that preventing a fertilized egg from sticking to the inside of your uterus (womb) would be something that you feel wrong in doing then by all means do not do so. However, most people who feel strongly about "right to life" issues do not define this as abortion.

Plan B is the brand name of a medication you can buy over-the-counter, and use in case of emergency. It can cost about $45.

It is important to realize that time is of the essence in such a situation as missed birth control pills, condom rupture or unprotected sex. If Plan B is taken within 12 hours, it has a 95% chance of preventing undesired pregnancy. By 2 and 1/2 days later, the chance falls to 72%. Sooner is definitely better! It is probably best to simply buy some and have it ready to use if you ever need it. Twelve hours can go by very quickly when stores are closed on a weekend night.

Plan B was actually based on the known doses of birth control pills needed to prevent undesired pregnancy. It is simply packaged in a form that is easy to use.

This link from Princeton University provides useful guidance in how to use 19 different commonly used birth control pills as emergency contraception.

Life Line ultrasound screening- Meh.

I get asked about this test periodically, whenever Life Line scans come to town.

Do I recommend them? No.

Why doesn't my insurance cover them? Because they are proved not to be helpful.

The tests include ultrasound examinations of the carotid arteries which carry blood supply up to your brain, the abdominal aorta which carries blood supply to the abdomen, and also the circulation in your legs.

These are all standard diagnostic tests which can be ordered by doctors and are covered by insurances. The problem is, they are not useful as screening tests applied to patients who have no concerning symptoms. These tests have only been shown to be useful in preventing strokes, aneurysm rupture or worsening leg circulation in the presence of symptoms or abnormal physical exam findings.

In the absence of such, we find that applying these tests does not prevent these problems and simply exposes healthy people to further and riskier tests in the event of minor abnormalities being found.

Mind you, this is one of the reasons to be seen annually for wellness examinations or physicals. An important part of the exam is checking for findings that would suggest circulatory problems or aneurysms. Happily, the physical exam is quite sensitive in finding these problems and can guide further testing and treatment. When I am listening to your neck and abdomen and feeling pulses in your feet, that is exactly what I am doing!