Emergency contraception (the names of the drugs will be given below) is used to prevent unwanted pregnancy in cases where other methods of protection were not provided for this. There are various options that a woman chooses for herself.
Operation principle
Means that belong to this category are required to be used for a short period of time after the end of sexual intercourse. Before the start of intimacy, there is no need to use them, since the desired effect will not work. However, even after the end of sexual intercourse, they should not be abused often, as they can cause considerable harm to women's he alth.
The main principle of action of emergency contraception is that the components that make up the composition have a significant effect on the body, thereby preventing the egg from attaching to the uterus after fertilization, as a result, pregnancy simply does not occur.
The end result depends on the time the woman took the drug. He can givedesired effect within 3 days. There is no need to use emergency contraceptive pills anymore, as pregnancy will come and everything will be meaningless.
The effectiveness of these funds ranges from 70 to 98%. None of the manufacturers can give a 100% guarantee that pregnancy will not occur. In medical practice, there are cases when, after using the drug, the egg was still attached to the uterus and pregnancy occurred. No negative effect on the fetus of the drug was recorded. There are no developmental abnormalities in children due to the fact that a woman used one of the methods of emergency contraception.
Target
It is thanks to this method that a woman of childbearing age can be helped to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, and, as a result, the number of abortions. Of course, it is better to choose the lesser of two evils. And if in the future you have to commit a kind of crime in the form of an abortion, then it is better to avoid pregnancy by all possible means.
There are times when sexual intercourse occurs under duress, then various emergency contraceptive drugs are used as protective measures against unwanted insemination and from the psychological trauma that will be associated with this whole situation.
Therefore, it should be noted that "fire" protection should only be used in rare cases and after conventional means have become ineffective. With these protections, a woman can be more confident that pregnancy will not occur after all.
When used
Many girls of reproductive age may need emergency contraception at any time. It is better to resort to these techniques infrequently, but there are cases when you cannot do without them:
1. After voluntary intercourse, in which partners did not use other means of protection.
2. When standard contraceptive options fail partners:
- condom slipping or breaking;
- in case of improper use of the calendar method to prevent fertilization (it often happens that when calculating partners incorrectly determine safe and dangerous days);
- the man failed to stop intercourse in time, after which the sperm ended up in the vagina;
- skipping more than three days of oral contraceptive use.
3. In case of involuntary sexual intercourse.
Any woman can use emergency contraception after sex. It is allowed to use these funds during breastfeeding (it is necessary to maintain an interval of 8 hours between taking and feeding). It should be noted that hormonal drugs that help prevent pregnancy are undesirable for young girls and adolescents, since they do not have a fully formed hormonal background.
Hormonal drugs with levonorgestrel
Emergency contraceptive pills, which contain a very high dose of progestogen, are taken unequally. Some funds will be neededtake just once, and others - several. This directly depends on the drug that will be used, this scheme will definitely be described in the instructions for use. It often looks like this:
- the first pill, which contains a very large amount of the hormone, is drunk for 3 days after the end of sexual intercourse, and the other is not required at all;
- one tablet is consumed for 3 days, and the second - half a day after taking the first.
The main representative of this group is familiar to many women - this is Postinor (the international name of the drug sounds like Levonorgestrel). This fully synthetic agent perfectly prevents the onset of fertilization, as it causes considerable changes in the endometrium, therefore, as a result, implantation of the egg becomes impossible. Analogue of "Postinor" - "Escapel".
As studies have shown, "Postinor" is effective in 85% of cases. On the first day of admission after intercourse, the effectiveness is 95%, if you use the remedy on the second day, then 85%, and on the third it is only 58%. Many doctors call this drug the "medicine of the past", as it causes very serious consequences.
Mifepristone
This group refers to the methods of the best emergency contraception. These medicines are also hormonal. To prevent fertilization, it is enough to drink just one tablet. A woman must complete this procedure forthree days after the end of the act of intercourse, which was not protected.
A fairly popular example of this category is Ginepriston. It is considered the best, since this modern drug is safer than the previous one, but still there are side effects and contraindications. The remedy, depending on which phase of the menstrual cycle it was taken, actively inhibits ovulation or does not allow the fertilized egg to join the uterus. Other medicines containing mifepristone are Agesta, Genale.
Oral Combinations
An alternative method of emergency contraception is to take several pills of combined oral contraceptives in a larger dose than usual.
Their use should take place according to the following scheme: within twelve hours from the moment of intercourse, take pills so that the total amount of ethinylestradiol is 200 mcg, and levonorgestrel - 1.5 mg.
The main representatives of this category are Silest and its main analogues - Minisiston and Rigevidon.
This category of emergency contraception should not be used while breastfeeding. Women can simply stop this procedure, as the lactation period will be reduced. And also the product can significantly degrade the quality and reduce the amount of milk.
Intrauterine method of contraception - copper coil
To preventunwanted fertilization, you can resort to another option, namely, to introduce an intrauterine device. In order to get this device, you need to see a doctor, and the procedure is required as soon as possible after sexual intercourse has been completed. Often, the period during which this remedy can be applied is 5 days.
The intrauterine device is a small device made of copper and plastic. It significantly reduces the life of the egg, and also prevents it from attaching to the uterine membrane after the fertilization process. The effectiveness of the spiral is 99%.
Myths
It should be noted that there are many ingrained myths about emergency contraception in society:
- At the end of unprotected intercourse, you can prevent unnecessary pregnancy with folk remedies. Of course, this is a myth. Any douching, physical activity or hot baths will not help in solving this problem, since spermatozoa enter the uterus a few minutes after ejaculation. It should be noted that the minimum amount of spermatozoa can stand out at the time of sexual intercourse.
- After the use of these funds at the next conception, the child may be born with developmental anomalies. This, of course, is a fabrication. There are many drugs for emergency contraception, and none of them affect subsequent pregnancy, as well as the development of the fetus.
- Means cause changes in the figure, and also an increase in mass, this is a myth, and the minimum weight gain canprovoke long-acting contraceptive methods.
- Components in this category are allowed to be accepted permanently. This is still not true. These drugs are recommended for occasional use only, as they are not approved for use as long-term remedies.
- The effect of emergency contraception on menstruation is deplorable. This statement is not entirely true, since the funds do not completely break the cycle, but can only cause a slight delay.
It should be noted that the sooner a woman uses this drug after unprotected intercourse, the much higher the chance of not getting pregnant. Experts say that this technique is an excellent backup option only when standard contraceptives have not worked.
Contraindications
Since emergency contraception without a prescription can be purchased by anyone, you need to know who should not use them after all, so you should first consult with your doctor. The main contraindications can be:
- under 16 years of age;
- pregnancy;
- hypersensitivity, as well as an allergic reaction in a woman to the components that are part of the product;
- severe liver failure.
Some drugs should be taken with caution if there are problems with the biliary tract, liver, Crohn's disease, chronic heart failure, lactation, and hypertension.
Specialists do notit is recommended to use such emergency assistance very often. Means are categorically contraindicated for regular use. They are allowed to be consumed no more than 1-2 times a year.
Side effects
Women also feel unwell after taking emergency contraceptives. What negative symptoms are described below:
- nausea in 23-50% of cases;
- dizzy at 11-17%;
- 6-9% of girls vomit;
- general weakness is observed in 17-29% of the fair sex.
Among the most common consequences of emergency contraception, one can also note uterine bleeding. It can begin within a few days after taking the drug. For certain girls, on the contrary, there may be a delay of 5-7 days.
The reaction of each organism is absolutely individual. There are also allergic manifestations, soreness of the mammary glands and diarrhea.
Women who choose to use a copper-containing intrauterine device may also experience side effects. Basically, there are pains in the lower abdomen, exacerbations of inflammatory diseases of the uterine appendages and bloody discharge from the genital tract. It happens that the establishment of a spiral is accompanied by perforation of the reproductive organ.
Folk remedies for emergency help do not exist, so you should not even look for them. Hot baths, lemon slices, and decoctions of bay leaves will not help get rid of an unwanted pregnancy.
Before you start using the methodsemergency contraception, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons. Means cannot be called completely safe. Before using them, it is recommended to determine the day of the menstrual cycle. For example, if sex was a few days after menstruation or a couple of days before its onset, then such drugs can not be used, since, most likely, ovulation simply did not occur. This process occurs approximately in the middle of the cycle, but there are still exceptions.
Flaws
- The use of drugs of this category is safe only at the very beginning of egg attachment. Take the first dose, according to gynecologists, preferably no later than eight hours after intercourse, although the packaging indicates that there are three whole days for this.
- Not all drugs are completely safe for women's he alth, they have many contraindications, so their use is allowed no more than 2 times a year.
Tips
- Before you need to choose the time of taking the remedy so that it is convenient to take a second dose if necessary (for example, 21:00 and 9:00).
- To prevent such unpleasant sensations as vomiting and nausea, it is recommended to start taking pills in the evening just before bedtime, during meals, and drink them with milk.
- During the period that lasts until the next menstruation, it is necessary to use barrier methods of contraception.
- Do not forget that these options are for one-time use, and inas a permanent contraceptive, it is recommended to choose a remedy in consultation with your doctor.
- If your expected period is a week late, you should definitely contact your doctor to rule out pregnancy.
Reviews
Emergency contraception has been used at least once by almost every girl of childbearing age. It should be noted that this technique can help to avoid unwanted pregnancies, and therefore, to exclude a large number of abortions. Therefore, doctors say that these funds need to be used in order to avoid unwanted operations. Experts say that, despite the need for such emergency methods, you need to remember that the "super pill" can be used literally several times a year, or even less often, since it literally creates a hormonal explosion in the body.
Many women claim that these methods often helped to prevent unnecessary pregnancy, but quite often negative effects on the body were also noted.
