Contraceptives after intercourse are means to avoid an unplanned pregnancy in the event of unprotected intimate intercourse. Contraceptives after intercourse are called postcoital contraception, emergency or emergency contraception.
Contraceptives after sexual intercourse should be taken within five or more days after intimacy. Only under this condition will the maximum effectiveness of taking these drugs be achieved. Of course, the less time elapses between unprotected intercourse and taking the drug, the more likely it is that there will be no pregnancy. On average, drugs of this kind reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy by eighty percent. But this is only if they are received in a timely manner.
Similar to oral contraceptives, contraceptives after intercourse are hormonal drugs, the scheme of action of which is based on the cessation of ovulation or the direct obstruction of fertilization. In theory, contraceptives after intercourse should prevent the fixation of a fertilized egg in the uterine cavity, but there is no evidence for this.
Contraceptives after intercourse do not cause artificial termination of pregnancy if conception, that is, the attachment of the embryo to the wall of the uterus, has already occurred. However, this does not mean that pregnant women can take these drugs.
There are a lot of contraceptives after intercourse. Probably the most common is the intrauterine device, which is inserted within five days of unprotected intercourse. The intrauterine device is especially effective in combination with birth control pills.
Quite well-known contraceptives after sexual intercourse, for example, plan B or postinor, can be used several times with an interval of twelve hours. The number of tablets that make up one dose of the drug is regulated by the specific manufacturer. It is worth remembering that both times it is necessary to use the contraceptive of the same manufacturer.
The first dose of the medicine should be taken as soon as possible, the more effective the result will be. It should be borne in mind that contraceptives after intercourse can cause nausea and vomiting, especially when taking combined drugs. For abbreviations
To reduce the likelihood of side effects, antiemetics can be taken one hour before the use of the selected drug.
In the case of repeated use of contraceptives after intercourse, subject to the gag reflex for the first dose, the antiemetic must be drunk one hour before contraception. In addition, the second dose can be taken as a vaginal suppository. That is, the tablet is located in the vagina as deep as possible, being absorbed through the mucous membrane of the genitals.
If vomiting has opened for the second dose of the drug, then it can no longer be taken, since they will not give any protective effect, but will only once again cause a gag reflex.
It should be borne in mind that after taking the medicine, it is possible:
- violations of the regularity of the menstrual cycle, that is, menstruation will pass later or earlier;
- change in the quality of menstrual flow;
- when visiting a gynecologist after taking contraceptives after intercourse, it is imperative to inform the doctor about the drug used;
- if three weeks after taking the drug, the menstrual cycle has not begun, and pregnancy has not been recorded, it is necessary to immediately visit a doctor;
- selected contraceptives after intercourse should be used without changing the drug until you are ready to have offspring.