Emergency contraception

Indication for Levonorgestrel

Population group: Suitable for women, only adults (18 - 65 years old)

Emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or failure of a contraceptive method.

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:

Treatment

Route of admnistration

Intrauterine

Defined daily dose

20 ug

Dosage regimen

20 ug once every day

1.5 mg once

Route of admnistration

Oral

Defined daily dose

1.5 - 1.5 mg

Dosage regimen

From 1.5 To 1.5 mg once every day

Detailed description

1.5 mg should be taken, as soon as possible, preferably within 12 hours, and no later than 72 hours after unprotected intercourse.

If vomiting occurs within three hours of taking the tablet, another tablet should be taken immediately.

Levonorgestrel can be used at any time during the menstrual cycle unless menstrual bleeding is overdue.

After using emergency contraception it is recommended to use a local barrier method (e.g. condom, diaphragm, spermicide, cervical cap) until the next menstrual period starts. The use of levonorgestrel does not contraindicate the continuation of regular hormonal contraception.

Women who have used enzyme-inducing drugs during the last 4 weeks and need emergency contraception are recommended to use a non-hormonal EC, i.e. Cu-IUD or take a double dose of levonorgestrel for those women unable or unwilling to use Cu-IUD.

Active ingredient

The precise mode of action of levonorgestrel as an emergency contraceptive is not known. At the recommended regimen, levonorgestrel is thought to work mainly by preventing ovulation and fertilisation if intercourse has taken place in the preovulatory phase, when the likelihood of fertilisation is the highest.

Read more about Levonorgestrel

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