If you have had unprotected sex, you should go straight to your doctor to get emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception is also known as post coital contraception and can prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. It is not quite true to say 'the morning after the night before' as it can actually work up to 72 hours of unprotected sex.

There are two forms of emergency contraception - one is by way of hormonal contraceptive tablets or tablet and the other is by insertion of a copper coil or intrauterine device (IUD).

The emergency contraceptive pills are high dose oestrogen pills and are taken in two separate doses. The first dose must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse followed by the second dose 12 hours later. There is also a higher dose single dose pill byt the name of Levonelle. For this one, you only take one pill immediately.

It is important to make sure that there were no previous bouts of unprotected intercourse prior to this 72-hour window. If this was the case the woman could already be pregnant and the pills would be contraindicated. The IUD can be inserted up to five days after unprotected intercourse in the hope of preventing pregnancy. The IUD also goes by the name of "The Coil" and can actually be inserted as a means of long term contraception but does not protect against STI's or STD's.

Millions of women around the world have used emergency contraceptives effectively. However, it must be stressed that this is an emergency form of contraception and does not replace the ever-popular effective methods of regular contraception.

• Unprotected sex: where consensual sex occurred with no contraception; rape or sexual assault with risk of pregnancy
  
• If your condom spilts, tears or slips
  
• Potential pill failure; where you forget to take a pill, you vomit after taking a pill or have taken your pill alongside anitbiotics that may affect its effectiveness.