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Progestin for Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception pills work by preventing ovulation, fertilization, or implantation.
Emergency contraception hormones may prevent fertilization by stopping the ovary from releasing an egg (ovum). They also make the fallopian tubes less likely to move an egg toward the uterus. Emergency contraception is also thought to thin the lining of the uterus, or endometrium. The thickened endometrium is where a fertilized egg would normally implant and grow.
Emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: November 12, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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