Emergency contraceptive pills work in a way that suddenly increases the estrogen level and then suddenly decreases it. A decrease of the estrogen level causes rubbing of the endometrium and bleeding – provoking a preterm “period”. A provoked period is a sign that emergency contraception was effective. Emergency contraception is effective if taken in the first 72 hours after unprotected sex but that doesn’t mean that bleeding should also occur in the first 72 hours if it was successful. Bleeding can occur later but it will never occur if emergency contraception failed. In your case emergency contraception was probably successful. A provoked period is usually heavier than a normal one.


You don’t need to consult a gynecologist for now but if bleeding becomes too heavy or prolonged you may want to consult one.


You probably won’t have sterility problems in the future because of the emergency contraception but you might have sterility problems because of the irregular cycles you have been experiencing since before. Irregular cycles are usually without ovulation (unovulatory cycles) and without ovulation conception is impossible.