WHAT would you do if you get carried away during a sexual encounter and you forget to use a condom?

Trinidadians and Tobagonians have not allowed themselves to be left out of the worldwide debate around Emergency Contraception (EC), commonly called “the morning after pill” and erroneously, the “abortion pill”.

Unfortunately, now that the EC pill is available in Trinidad and Tobago, a lot of the misinformation that was circulated when it was first introduced in Europe is now making the rounds here.

In commemorating International Day of the Elimination of Violence against Women, which was observed on November 25, four organisations active in the area of gender and reproductive issues teamed up to present accurate information about EC.

The Advocates for Safe Parenthood: Improving Reproductive Equity (ASPIRE), The Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT), The Rape Crisis Society, and Men against Violence Against Women hosted a symposium last Tuesday, with the aim of providing education and access to EC for all.

The activists also sought to remove the stigma attached to EC and present the drug as a safe and effective “back-up contraceptive method”.

In one segment of the symposium, the drama group Arts in Action performed a skit about the exchange of misinformation on managing fertility.

The scenario was the waiting room of a family planning clinic.

A woman seeking advice on dealing with a possible unplanned pregnancy allowed herself to be talked into trying a home remedy given to her by a man with 16 children.

While the skit was hilarious, FPATT President and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Sharpe said that the scenario is more common than one would expect: “Misinformation is shared in places such as doctor’s waiting rooms.

“In waiting rooms, there is often a sharing of information among patients that the caregiver is not privy to.”

The issue of sharing misinformation was raised partly to illustrate the need for mechanisms to distribute accurate information about sexual health and reproduction issues.

Participants at the symposium also discussed EC at length.

EC pills are taken orally after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.

The pills work by stopping the release of an egg, preventing the fertilisation of an egg, or to prevent a fertilised egg form becoming attached to the uterus.

It was also stressed that EC is not “an abortion pill”, and will not harm a foetus or cause birth defects if taken by a woman who is already pregnant.

EC is also known as “plan B”, as it is the recommended action to take if a contraceptive fails, for instance, when a condom bursts or slips off.

EC pills could also be used if there was unprotected sex and pregnancy is not desired.

It is also recommended in cases of sexual assault.

Many women are also unaware that the pills are available at pharmacies in Trinidad and Tobago, over the counter, without a prescription.

A check with pharmacies in North, East and South Trinidad revealed that EC pills are widely available.

The price varies between $30 and $40 per dose.

One pharmacist told TnT Mirror that while EC is safe and effective if used properly, they should not be used as a primary form of contraception.

“It should only be used as a backup when regular contraception fails,” he said.

The pharmacist insisted that condoms, IUDs, and other oral contraceptives are more effective, and the EC should be used only for emergency situations.

This was backed up by information in a brochure available from the pills’ local distributor.

The printed brochure listed possible side effects of the EC pills, but noted that they don’t last longer than one or two days.

Side effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, breast tenderness, headache, fatigue, and spotting.

However, to date, no users of EC pills have reported any health problems from using the drug.