Why Taking Emergency Pills Within 72 Hours After Sex is Crucial. Have you ever wondered why emergency pills need to be taken within 72 hours after having sex? The answer lies in the main ingredient of the morning-after pill – Levonorgestrel. This ingredient belongs to a class of medications called progestins, which prevent pregnancy by changing the lining of the womb, inhibiting the release of an egg from the ovaries, or preventing fertilization of the egg by the sperm.
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Why Taking Emergency Pills Within 72 Hours After Sex is Important?
The reason why emergency pills need to be taken within 72 hours after having sex is that after fertilization, the fertilized egg undergoes a process of cell division known as cleavage. During cleavage, the egg is divided into smaller nucleated cells called blastomeres, which eventually form a single-cell ball known as the morula. The morula then develops into a hollow ball called the blastula.
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Therefore, taking emergency pills within the first 72 hours after having unprotected sex can prevent the blastula from attaching to the uterus by changing the lining of the womb, thereby preventing pregnancy. After this 72-hour timeframe, the blastula will have traveled down the fallopian tubes and implanted in the uterus, making it more difficult for emergency pills to prevent pregnancy.
The Stages of Cleavage After Fertilization
The process of cleavage after fertilization happens in several stages:
- Stage 1: Occurring within 30 hours after fertilization, the egg divides into two blastomeres, with one being longer than the other.
- Stage 2: Happening within 40 hours after fertilization, the egg divides again, creating four blastomeres at a 90-degree angle to the plane of the first cleavage.
- Stage 3: Taking place within 72 hours after fertilization, this stage involves the division of the egg at a 90-degree angle to both the first and second cleavages.
After these stages of cleavage, the resulting blastula travels down the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where it can implant and develop into an embryo.
However, it is important to note that the pill should not be taken more than once every six months, as it may disrupt the menstrual cycle. It is recommended to use other forms of contraception as a regular method of birth control and to only use emergency pills in case of emergencies.