Myths About Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies
A clear-eyed breakdown of common misconceptions among young Cameroonians about emergency contraception, distinguishing between folk methods that do not work and evidence-based approaches like morning-after pills and douching.
The other day, while travelling out of town, I couldn't help but overhear some young Cameroonians boasting, to each other, about their knowledge of and skills in the various methods of preventing unwanted pregnancies. They suggested that the following methods could prevent an unwanted pregnancy immediately after unprotected sexual intercourse: drinking whiskey or any beverage with a very high alcohol percentage, douching, drinking salted water, consuming copious amounts of honey, taking a pee following sex, etc. These methods, surprisingly, are practiced by many young Cameroonians. This in mind, can these methods prevent an unwanted pregnancy following unprotected sexual intercourse?
FIRST THINGS FIRST
To be able to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, a substance should be able to do the following: - Kill sperm cells - Prevent sperms from reaching am egg - Prevent the release of an egg - Prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the wall of the uterus or womb.
MYTHS ABOUT EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
Alcohol, especially whiskey, can't prevent unwanted pregnancies. Also, salted water, honey, and taking a pee immediately after unprotected sexual intercourse can't prevent an unwanted pregnancy. These methods can't guarantee that sperm cells won't reach and fertilize an egg. These are very ineffective methods; don't practice them.
DOUCHING, IS IT EFFECTIVE?
With douching, some, not all, sperm cells are washed out of the vagina. It reduces the amount of sperm cells available for egg fertilization. This method can reduce a lady's chances of becoming pregnant following unprotected coitus -- if done immediately after the act. On its own, this method is not very efficient -- not all sperm cells are eliminated. Combined with other renowned emergency contraception methods, not those highlighted above, a lady is highly unlikely to become pregnant following unprotected sexual intercourse.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AFTER UNPROTECTED SEX?
Following unprotected sex, you should take a morning after pill. These pills are available in most pharmacies and are sold as over-the-counter medications. These pills are highly effective if taken within 12 hours following unprotected sex. They work by preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg. Simply put, these pills prevent ovulation. It is worth noting that emergency contraception with morning after pills is not synonymous with abortion -- these pills don't abort a pregnancy.
Winning Combo: by douching immediately after unprotected sex and taking morning after pills within 12 hours following unprotected sex, a lady is highly unlikely to become pregnant.
WHY IS YOUR MORNING AFTER PILL NOT WORKING?
After taking a morning after pill, a lady can become pregnant if the following apply to her: - She is overweight: her doctor should up the dose of her morning after pills. With an increase in weight, the dose of most drugs must be increased to increase efficacy. - She has already ovulated. Morning after pills prevent ovulation. Taking these pills after ovulation has occurred is pretty useless. - She throws up immediately after taking these pills. If a person throws up within an hour or so of taking a pill, she’ll need another dose. Her body might not have had enough time to metabolize it.
CONCLUSION
Following unprotected sexual intercourse, rape, or condom breakage, morning after pills and -- NOT or -- douching can reliably prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Pregnancy can't be prevented by consuming alcohol, honey, and salted water, or taking a pee. Cheers!
The piece addresses a widespread gap in sexual health literacy in Cameroon, where misinformation about pregnancy prevention circulates among young people, often in informal social settings. It speaks to a moment when access to reliable reproductive health information remained unevenly distributed across the country.
The post's value lies not in technical novelty but in its unflinching clarification of what works and what doesn't—a service of particular importance in contexts where myths persist because evidence-based guidance is either unavailable or distrusted. Years later, it remains useful as a record of the specific misconceptions that needed addressing and a model of how to communicate health information without condescension.