What Is an Emergency Contraceptive Pill?

Emergency contraception refers to the contraceptive method used to prevent pregnancy during a period of time after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Medical contraception is the most common method.

Emergency contraceptive

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Emergency contraceptives

Emergency contraceptives are also called after-the-fact contraceptives.

Although various contraceptive methods are being promoted all over the world, the incidence of induced abortions is still increasing. The reason is that on the one hand, because no conventional contraceptive method is absolutely effective, coupled with the failure of contraceptive methods and the impact of the availability of contraceptive methods, unintended pregnancy occurs from time to time. On the other hand, because no contraceptive method has been adopted, it is reported that about one-third to half of unintended pregnancy in abortions in urban areas in China occur after unprotected sexual intercourse. In order to reduce the rate of induced abortion, effective emergency contraception methods have been explored internationally since 1995. Emergency contraception refers to a remedy to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse without any contraceptive measures or the contraceptive method fails. IUD or taking medication.

1, unilateral progestogen

Unilateral progestogen emergency contraceptives, mostly levonorgestrel, are over-the-counter drugs. There are two main specifications: one is 0.75 mg, 2 tablets for a single oral administration, or 1 tablet for the first time, the second tablet is taken every 12 hours; the other is 1.5 mg, 1 tablet for a single oral administration. Within 72 hours of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, the sooner the medication is taken, the better the effect of preventing pregnancy. There is no need to fast before and after taking.

The contraceptive mechanism of this kind of drugs is to significantly inhibit ovulation and prevent pregnancy from implanting, and increase the cervical mucus consistency and increase the resistance to sperm penetration, thereby exerting rapid-acting contraception.

2.Antiprogestin

The active ingredient of the antiprogestin emergency contraceptive is mifepristone, which is a prescription drug. For emergency contraception, within 72 hours of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, 25 mg orally after fasting or 2 hours after eating, and fasting for 1-2 hours after taking it.

Antiprogestin-type emergency contraceptives have the effects of terminating early pregnancy, anti-implantation, inducing menstruation, and promoting cervical maturity. It competes with progesterone for its receptor and antagonizes it. Taking different doses of mifepristone will achieve different results: usually, 10 to 25 mg of mifepristone per dose can be used for emergency contraception; 150 mg can terminate pregnancy within 49 days. Failure to use this product to terminate early pregnancy must be aborted to terminate the pregnancy.

3. Enteric-coated tablets, gastric-coated tablets

Gastric dissolving tablets: dissolve in the stomach, fast onset time.

Enteric-coated tablets: Drugs do not dissolve until the intestinal tract, and the onset time is slow.

Common side effects

1) Nausea: After taking, the symptoms of nausea generally last no more than 24 hours.

2) Vomiting: Taking it with food or taking medicine before going to bed can reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting.

3) Irregular uterine bleeding: Some women will have a little bleeding after taking the drug, and generally do not need to deal with it, but let the user understand this situation, and do consultation and education before and after the drug.

4) Changes in menstruation: Most women's menstrual periods will come on time, and some women's menstruation will be advanced or delayed. If menstruation is delayed by one week, a urine pregnancy test should be done to determine if it is an emergency contraception failure.

5) Change in ovulation period: Taking emergency contraceptives will affect the menstrual cycle and may cause ectopic pregnancy. Women will try to use efficient contraceptive methods instead of risking the use of emergency contraceptives or safe periods, extra-ejaculation, etc. Contraceptive methods can seriously lead to infertility.

6) Others: breast tenderness, headache, dizziness, fatigue, etc. These symptoms are generally mild and last for no more than 24 hours. Breast pain and severe headache can be treated symptomatically with aspirin or other analgesics.

Precautions

Emergency contraceptives can only have a post-contraceptive effect on the former one-time life, and there can be no protective intercourse after taking the pills.

A small amount of vaginal bleeding after taking the drug is not a sign of successful contraception. If there is no menstrual volume-type bleeding, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible.

(3) Vomiting occurs within 2 hours after taking the medicine, and it should be replenished as soon as possible.

Emergency contraceptives can only be used occasionally and cannot replace conventional contraceptive methods.

Emergency contraceptives are contraindicated in women who are already pregnant, because they have no abortion effect for an established pregnancy.

The sooner you take your medication after unprotected sex, the better the effect of preventing unwanted pregnancy.

Birth control pills and menstruation

Emergency contraceptives can cause irregular menstruation in women. If taken during the first half of the menstrual cycle, the side effects of the emergency contraceptives may interfere with women's menstruation and cause vaginal bleeding. If taken in the second half of the menstrual cycle, Less interference with women's menstruation. If the amount of bleeding is about the same as usual menstrual flow, consider it as a period.

Early menstruation: Bleeding after an emergency contraceptive is clinically referred to as withdrawal bleeding. In fact, this bleeding can not be considered as menstrual cramps. If it is taken during the first half of the menstrual cycle, it may interfere with women's menstruation and cause vaginal bleeding; if taken within the second half of the menstrual cycle, it will have less interference with women's menstruation. If the amount of bleeding is similar to the usual menstrual flow, it can be regarded as a menstrual period. After the bleeding is clean, conventional contraceptive methods should be taken immediately. If the amount of bleeding is small, you don't need to do anything, but you still need to pay attention to contraception until the next menstrual period.

Taboo crowd

Eight types of women should not take:

Patients with major illness

Because hormone drugs are to be metabolized in the liver and excreted from the kidney, the medication will increase the burden on liver and kidney function, so patients with acute, chronic hepatitis or nephritis should not be used.

2. Patients with blood diseases and endocrine diseases

Contraceptives can increase blood coagulation and increase the risk of thrombosis, which can increase blood sugar and affect thyroid function. Therefore, patients with various blood diseases, thrombotic diseases, endocrine diseases such as diabetes, and hyperthyroidism should be avoided.

3. Gynecological cancer patients

Because gynecological tumors and breast diseases are mostly hormone-dependent diseases, taking contraceptives containing estrogen and progestin can aggravate the condition and should be disabled.

4. People with mental illness

People with mental illness who can't take care of themselves may suffer from mistakes and misconduct, which may have adverse consequences.

5. Rare menstruation

Contraceptives may reduce menstruation further.

6. Those over 40 years old

Hormonal levels fluctuated during this period, and contraceptives are generally not appropriate.

7. Women over 35 years old who smoke

Should not be taken for a long time to avoid premature ovarian failure.

8. Lactating women

Contraceptives can inhibit milk secretion and can affect the development of newborns through milk secretion. Therefore, it cannot be used by lactating women. ^[1]