Emergency contraception: what is the harm and how to use it

These drugs have many names: morning pill, emergency contraception, and others. Many women have heard about the existence of such a method, but not many know about the real mechanism of its effect. So let's get to know him better.

Emergency contraception: what is its harm

As the name suggests, this method of contraception should only be used in very serious cases. It is not suitable for frequent and even more so for regular use. You can use "pregnancy pills" only in an emergency, for example, if the condom broke or rape has occurred.

It is fundamentally wrong to use drugs for emergency contraception in case of unplanned sex instead of a condom. They affect the female body too much.

The means used for emergency contraception contain a loading dose of progestogen. This substance is an analogue of the female hormone progesterone, which controls the menstrual cycle in a woman, or rather her other half. The pituitary gland is responsible for the production of progesterone. If there are a lot of these hormones in the body, then the pituitary gland will not allow the eggs to mature and ovulation will not happen.

The action of such medicines as "Postinor" and "Escapel" is based on this principle. It is these drugs that are most often used to prevent conception after an emergency. But their use causes great harm to a woman's body:

• A loading dose of hormones causes hormonal disruption.
• A woman's menstrual cycle is changing.
• Painful bleeding is common between periods.
• There are qualitative changes in the structure of the mammary glands.
• The woman feels a headache.
• Many have all the signs of intoxication - nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness and severe fatigue.
• Painful sensations in the lower abdomen.
• In some cases, allergies are observed - rash, itching, swelling.

How to do emergency contraception correctly

The means used for emergency contraception are effective enough if the instructions are strictly followed. They need to be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse. Strictly speaking, you are only given 72 hours to take the pills. However, the sooner you take the medicine, the more chances you will be able to prevent pregnancy. Over time, the effectiveness of this method decreases.

According to the instructions, you need to take two tablets of the drug. Taking only half of this dose reduces the effectiveness of the drug several times. The tablets must be taken orally and washed down with water. In order to increase the effectiveness of such a drug, take the tablets two hours after you eat. Do not eat for another two hours after using the tablet. Only one tablet should be taken immediately, and the other should be drunk 12 hours after using the first dose.

There is an opinion that it is necessary to take both tablets at once. However, this method does not improve the effectiveness of emergency contraception in any way. But we can say with confidence that taking two tablets at the same time is even more harmful and provokes severe side effects.

Emergency contraceptive pills

Most often, for contraception in special cases, the following drugs are used:

• Postinor belongs to the old generation of contraceptives, but still remains popular. It must be used within the first three days after intercourse. 12 hours after taking the initial dose, the actions are duplicated.

• Escapel is a more modern tool. It is used once, since the Escapel tablet contains a double dose of the hormone. It must also be taken within three days after intercourse.

Remember that taking these funds is permissible no more than twice a year. Do not abuse this method of contraception, as it is detrimental to women's health.