Very often, an unplanned pregnancy turns out to be unwanted for partners. Of course, for many people, the period of gestation and subsequent childbirth are wonderful moments in life, but, unfortunately, the birth of children does not always fit into the plans of young parents. Usually such situations arise due to insufficient knowledge about the basics of sexual life, negligence, defective contraceptives, etc.
General information
Many couples are faced with situations where contraceptives have to be used after sexual intercourse has happened. As a rule, emergency postcoital contraception is carried out after unprotected sexual contact for 1-3 days. In this case, the hormonal method (or the so-called gestagen intake) is most often used. Experts recommend using Postinor as such means.
Can I take this progestogen while breastfeeding? What negative consequences does it provoke? Answers to these and other questionsregarding the mentioned preparation are presented below.
Composition, form of the hormonal agent "Postinor"
Only experts know whether Postinor can be taken while breastfeeding. Therefore, it is permissible to use such a hormonal drug only after consulting a gynecologist.
The gestagen in question is marketed as white or almost white disc-shaped tablets, chamfered and circularly engraved "INOR•" on one side.
The active ingredient of the drug in question is levonorgestrel. As for excipients, they include: colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, potato starch, talc, corn starch and lactose monohydrate.
Can I get pregnant while breastfeeding?
The question of taking Postinor while breastfeeding worries many women. After all, the myth that pregnancy does not happen during lactation or happens extremely rarely is based only on beliefs.
Experts say that the risk of conceiving a child while breastfeeding is very high. Therefore, almost all doctors recommend that young mothers use reliable methods of barrier contraception without fail. Although even the most modern means of protection cannot give a 100% guarantee.
If the risk of conception after unprotected intercourse is extremely high, then women are advised to use emergency contraception. The most popular specifiedthe method is to take the pill "Postinor".
How does a hormonal drug work during unprotected intercourse?
Before you know if Postinor can be taken while breastfeeding, you should find out what such a remedy is.
"Postinor" is a hormonal medicine that contains a huge dose of levonorgestrel. Such a synthetic hormone affects the woman's body as follows: it slows down the progress of the egg into the fallopian tube, which prevents ovulation from happening.
The drug in question acts on the mucosa of the cervical canal, contributing to its excessive viscosity and making it impassable to seminal fluid.
Also, taking the Postinor pill causes an accelerated rejection of the endometrium. This changes the menstrual cycle and provokes an unplanned onset of menstruation. Taken together, all of these processes maximally prevent any chance of conception and pregnancy.
Timing for hormone medication (after unprotected intercourse)
Many women after unprotected intercourse are wondering not only whether it is possible to drink Postinor while breastfeeding, but also about the time frame for using such a drug. According to the attached instructions, if the contraceptive pill was taken on the first day after an unprotected act, then its effectiveness is about 85%. If the drug was used within two days, then its effectiveness is approximately 65-70%. The remedy taken on the third day will be effective only by 45-50%.
Use of progestogen during lactation. Expert opinion
"Postinor" - is it possible to use this remedy while breastfeeding? There is no single answer to the question posed. In addition, even the most experienced specialists cannot answer it accurately. Some doctors believe that it is strictly forbidden to use Postinor during breastfeeding. They explain such a firm position by the fact that the drug in question contains a high concentration of a synthetic hormone, which can have a detrimental effect on the he alth of the baby.
Other experts report that you can use Postinor while breastfeeding. They claim that such a drug does not affect the quantity and quality of mother's milk.
There is also a third of doctors who are of the opinion that the synthetic hormones contained in this medicine pass into the milk, but only in small quantities. Therefore, they believe that Postinor is not capable of provoking the development of negative consequences during breastfeeding.
As for the instructions, it says that no studies have been conducted on the effect of the drug in question on an infant, so the reaction against the background of its use may be unpredictable.
Precautions
Those specialists who allow the reception of "Postinor" when breastfeeding,recommend the following precautions:
- should not put the baby to the breast for a day and a half from the moment of taking the second tablet of the drug;
- during the action of the medicine, milk must be expressed in order to prevent stagnation;
- it is advisable to feed the child either with breast milk expressed before taking the tablets, or with mixtures.
Important to know
According to the instructions, the maximum concentration of the drug "Postinor" in the blood is observed 3 hours after taking the first pill. Therefore, within 60 minutes after taking the medicine, it is permissible to breastfeed the baby one more time (or express milk).
Some young mothers make a big mistake when they use a progestogen not according to the instructions, that is, they take 2 tablets at the same time (without observing a break of 12 hours). This approach can cause many side effects. One of the most serious of these is uterine bleeding, which can only be stopped by surgery.
Contraindications for taking postinor hormonal pills
There are no special contraindications to the use of Postinor for women during lactation. All prohibitions on the use of this tool apply to all representatives of the weaker sex:
- The presence of such hormone-dependent neoplasms as fibroids, breast tumors, polyps. It should be borne in mind that a high concentration of hormones in the preparation can cause the growth of an existing tumor.
- Diseases of the biliary tract and liver. A high dosage of synthetic hormones can provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases. Jaundice can occur when the liver is heavily stressed.
- Irregular menstrual cycle. The drug "Postinor" disrupts the menstrual cycle and leads to hormonal imbalance. In this regard, it is not recommended to use it if a woman has irregular cycles or has bleeding of unknown origin.
- Postinor is not an abortifacient. That is, this medication is not able to terminate an existing pregnancy. Therefore, it is not advisable to use such a remedy for successful conception.
- Presence of thromboembolism. The occurrence of blood clots occurs with high blood clotting. Due to the fact that levonorgestrel is able to thicken the blood, it is not recommended to use it in such a pathology.
- The age of the fairer sex. Manufacturers of "Postinor" forbid it to be taken by girls under 16 years of age. This is due to the fact that the hormonal background of a young organism has not yet been formed, and the pill taken can cause serious negative consequences. Also, experts do not advise taking Postinor to women after forty years of age, since a large dose of synthetic hormones can accelerate the onset of menopause.
- Personal intolerance to the medication. If, while taking a contraceptive, a woman has diarrhea or severe vomiting, then they talk about progestogen intolerance.
Consequences and side effects in women
Taking such a drugcan provoke the development of the following conditions:
- diarrhea;
- hormonal imbalance;
- heavy and painful periods (for 2-3 cycles);
- drawing pain in the lower abdomen;
- nausea, severe vomiting;
- menstrual cycle failure (approximately 4-6 months);
- headaches, dizziness, migraines;
- pain and tension in the mammary glands;
- apathy and feeling tired;
- heavy intrauterine bleeding.
It should also be noted that after taking Postinor tablets, women are prohibited from planning a pregnancy for the next 4-7 months.
Before the onset of menstruation after using the drug, it is necessary to protect yourself well (use reliable barrier contraception).
Postinor while breastfeeding: consequences for the baby
Many experts are of the opinion that taking the drug in question does not have any effect on the quality and quantity of breast milk. As practice shows, such a medicine does not have any negative effects on the body of an infant. It should be borne in mind that studies on the late effect of Postinor on the development and growth of the baby have not been studied.
Medication reviews
Can I use Postinor while breastfeeding? There are practically no reviews of women who took such a drug during lactation in the World Wide Web. Therefore, many nursing young mothers decide to take the progestogen on their own. Whereinsome experts seriously recommend weighing the pros and cons. Indeed, according to the instructions, Postinor has a lot of adverse reactions. It is also not clear how much synthetic hormones are detrimental to the he alth of the baby. All this should be taken into account when taking the drug during breastfeeding, as a nursing mother has a huge responsibility for her baby.
