“This pill contains levonorgestrel, a synthetic progestogen used as an active ingredient in some hormonal contraceptives, and should be used in emergencies. Repetitive use of such formulations can not only lead to excessive vomiting, nausea and irregular periods in the initial stages but can even lead to ovary dysfunction in the long run,” says Dr Rinku Sengupta Dhar, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, Delhi.

In a country where about 78 per cent pregnancies are unplanned, 25 per cent unwanted and almost five million unsafe abortions carried out every year, the morning-after pill is an important tool for women to take control of their lives. But bottomline: don’t make it a habit.