What are the side effects of postpill?
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Postpill rival postinor 2 in the Nigerian market….postinor 2 and Postpill however has similar side effects and similar mechanism of action….Are you surprised ? Don’t be, they are both emergency contraceptive pills that contains levonorgestrel.
SIDE EFFECTS OF ABUSING POSTPILL AS A CONTRACEPTIVE
Postpill active ingredient is Levonorgestrel.
Levonorgestrel belongs to the family of medications known as progestins. Progestins are female sex hormones that are used in birth control pills and often in combination with the hormone estrogen.This medication is believed to prevent pregnancy primarily by delaying ovulation or preventing fertilization of the egg. It may also prevent implantation of the egg by altering the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus).
Although Postpill is effective, it is an emergency contraceptive. When used within 72 hours of unprotected sex, it helps reduce the chances of being pregnant. Many young ladies make it arbitrary to use postpill anytime they feel like; making it an everyday pill.
There are lots of risks associated with the constant use of this drug; just like the abuse of any other drug. Most ladies are naïve; consuming the pills in clinically unsafe ways.
They use these drugs without knowing the way it interacts with the body system forgetting people react to drugs in different ways
This are the possible side effects of abusing postpill ….
Spotting and Bleeding
Most medicines have side effects. Some may not be serious while others may be severe. Postpill could cause light spotting and bleeding when used excessively. Some ladies bleed for days upon use of the contraceptive while some simply see blood stains. This bleeding is quite different from the normal monthly flow; some ladies still see their period at the normal time or a date later than normal. When this happens, medical attention should be sought especially if the bleeding is heavy.
Some ladies bleed in between period when they take postpill. It manifests as seeing your period twice in a month. This is known as intermenstrual bleeding.
High Risk Of Infertility
Ladies often use postpill wrongly; using more than a tablet at once, combining the pills with other drugs, and consuming more than twelve pills in a month. Prolonged use of postpill could cause a woman’s monthly period to seize indefinitely or become irregular. The chance of becoming pregnant with an irregular or non-flowing period is slim or close to zero. It also could cause a shift in the ovulation cycle.
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY
Any pregnancy that occurs anywhere outside the uterus is known as ectopic pregnancy. Research has shown that women who use levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pills like postinor and postpill for a long time are at risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Other common side effects of postpill are;
Vomiting
Abdominal pains
Diarrhoea
Delayed period.
Headaches
Acne or pimples.
Breast tenderness and fullness
Dizziness
Drug Interaction
Certain drugs inhibit the effectiveness of postpill and even postinor as a contraceptive. This drug should be carefully used in people who have certain health conditions. The contraceptive’s effectiveness could be reduced when patients on medications for asthma, epilepsy, renal impairment, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, depression, hypertension, thromboembolic diseases use this pill. The use of this drug with other medications treating these conditions could lead to serious complications. The use of this pill has been reported to have caused weight gain in some women.
Sources:
Dr Udomoh
Temitope Popoola
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