The coil is also known as the intrauterine device, or
IUD
"Women should use the coil rather than the
morning-after pill as emergency contraception, according to official new
guidelines," the Mail Online reports.
The guidelines, from the National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence (NICE), cite previous research showing the coil has a
lower failure rate than other forms of emergency contraception.
The coil, also known as intrauterine device (IUD) is a
small T-shaped contraceptive device made from plastic and copper. It's inserted
into the uterus by a trained health professional. It may prevent an egg from
implanting in your womb or being fertilised.
This isn't "news" as such – it has long been
known that the contraceptive coil is more effective and can prevent unwanted
pregnancy up to five days after unprotected intercourse, compared to only a few
days with the morning-after pill. It also has other advantages, including that
it can be used as an ongoing method of contraception to prevent further need
for emergency contraception or unwanted pregnancy.
Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after
having unprotected sex or if your contraceptive method has failed for example, a
condom has split or you missed a pill.
Type of
emergency contraception
- The emergency contraceptive pill (morning after pill)
- The IUD (intrauterine device, or coil)
The IUD
(Intrauterine device)
The IUD works by stopping the sperm and
egg from surviving in the womb or fallopian tubes. It may
also prevent a fertilised egg from implanting in the womb.
A woman can get pregnant if a man’s sperm reaches
one of her eggs (ova). Contraception tries to stop this by keeping the egg and
sperm apart or by stopping eggs being produced. One of the methods of
contraception is the intrauterine device, or IUD (sometimes called a coil).
What does the guidance say
about emergency contraception?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) second
quality statement is that "Women asking for emergency contraception are
told that an intrauterine device is more effective than an oral method".
An intrauterine device (IUD) refers to the copper coil. It shouldn't be
confused with the hormone-releasing intrauterine system (IUS); another
long-term method of contraception.
The IUD can be inserted up to five days after unprotected intercourse,
and has a lower failure rate than the morning after pill.
Furthermore, it has the advantage that once it's inserted it provides an
ongoing method of contraception, which will reduce the risk of further
unplanned pregnancies or need for emergency contraception.
If a woman wishes to have an IUD fitted as a form of emergency
contraception, but the healthcare practitioner is not able to fit it there and
then, NICE advises that the woman is given the morning after pill in the
interim, and then directed to a service that can fit the coil.
There are two morning after pills. The standard morning after pill
(levonorgestrel, brand name Levonelle) can only be taken up to three days after
unprotected sex. The newer pill (ulipristal acetate, brand name ellaOne) is a
longer acting pill and is also effective up to five days after unprotected
sex.
Source: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/09September/Pages/Coil-more-effective-than-morning-after-pill.aspx
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