Emergency contraception: do not abuse

Emergency (synonyms are postcoital or fire) contraception is a method of preventing unwanted pregnancy, which is used after unprotected intercourse has occurred. The most common method of fire contraception is taking drugs with a high content of gestagen – levonorgestrel. It is necessary to drink a postcoital pill within 72 hours after coitus without protection, and its effectiveness depends on the time of use of the drug (the earlier the pill is taken, the less chance of an unplanned pregnancy). However, the use of hormonal pills for emergency contraception negatively affects the health of a woman, especially if the instructions for taking are not followed, which can provoke the occurrence of adverse effects, which will be discussed by estet-portal.com.<

Emergency contraception: indications for use

Situations that require fire contraception:

•    displacement of a condom or cervical cap during sex;
•    lack of planned protection against pregnancy;
•    condom damage;
•    deviation from the COC regimen (not taken 2 or more tablets);
•    an error in the calculation of "safe" days;
•    coitus until the spermicidal tablet dissolves;
•    rape.

The use of postcoital methods will prevent unwanted pregnancy, but will not protect against contracting sexually transmitted infections. Through 5 – 10 days after unprotected sex, a woman must be tested for STIs.

Emergency contraception: mechanism of action

The mechanism of protection against unwanted pregnancy when taking hormonal postcoital drugs is as follows:

•    levonorgestrel (the main active ingredient) inhibits the production of FSH by the pituitary gland, which inhibits the process of ovulation;
•    levonorgestrel prevents fertilization;
•    levonorgestrel causes changes in the functional layer of the endometrium, which leads to the inability to implant a fertilized egg.

Emergency contraception: side effects

Emergency contraceptives contain loading doses of levonorgestrel. For example, a postcoital tablet contains 1.5 mg or 750 μg of progestogen, and in one COC tablet the progestogen component is 0.1 – 0.25 mg. Taking postcoital drugs will somehow affect the general condition and well-being and may provoke the following side effects:

•    dyspeptic symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, heartburn, belching;
•    disorders of the nervous system: headache, migraine, dizziness;
•    drop in blood pressure, fainting;
•    allergic reactions;
•    pain in the lower abdomen;
•    cycle failures: delayed menstruation, acyclic bleeding, cycle shortening;
•    mastodynia (engorgement, soreness of the mammary glands).

Emergency Contraception: Consequences

Simultaneous intake of a huge dose of levonorgestrel not only provokes unpleasant sensations and reactions, but can negatively affect the state of the reproductive system and psyche.

Restoration of ovarian function after the use of the postcoital drug occurs no earlier than after 4 months. Therefore, gynecologists warn that using hormonal drugs in the absence of planned protection against unwanted pregnancy is allowed no more than 2 times a year.

Overdose of the drug taken or its frequent use can cause serious damage to health.

Possible adverse effects:•    Dysmenorrhea
Neglecting the instructions for taking hormonal pills causes a serious blow to the ovaries, which is manifested by a cycle disorder in the form of its lengthening or shortening, a change in the volume of menstrual blood loss (scanty or heavy blood discharge), the appearance of acyclic bleeding.
•     Infertility
Reception of hormones from the outside disrupts the production of own hormones in the pituitary gland and ovaries, which, with frequent use of postcoital drugs, leads to anovulation and infertility.
•    Ectopic pregnancy
One of the actions of the postcoital drug is to change the peristalsis of the fallopian tubes, which slows down the progress of the fertilized egg into the uterine cavity and prevents its implantation. Slow migration of the egg can provoke its implantation in the fallopian tube, that is, lead to tubal pregnancy.
•    Influence on the psyche
Failure to comply with the frequency and dosage of taking postcoital pills negatively affects the psyche and can cause depression, apathy and loss of interest in life, psychosexual disorders (rejection of men, fear of sexual contact), refusal of human communication, a tendency to privacy and so on.
•    Influence on the cardiovascular system

See also:

Peculiarities of choosing oral contraceptives: what examinations the patient should undergo