Young man, did you take protective measures yesterday on Valentine’s Day?
The routine contraceptive method is nothing more than [you set me up and I take my own medicine (short-acting contraceptives)], but if neither of you had any what protection measures last night and had no plans to have children, you should consider taking emergency contraceptives.
However, there has been a saying that emergency contraception can only be taken three times a year at most.
Why can’t it be more than three times? Because eat too much [light menstruation irregular, heavy infertility].
It sounds scary, is it really the case?
Let’s talk about some of the most concerned issues about emergency contraception.
Note: What we want to say here is levonorgestrel-like emergency contraceptives. Simply put, they are over-the-counter and can be bought by ourselves in pharmacies. Mifepristone is a prescription drug with different mechanisms of action and needs to be medicated according to doctor’s advice. It will not be discussed here.
How many times a year can I take emergency contraceptives?
There is no limit, only you don’t want children yet, even if you have eaten five or six times a year, you have to eat when it is time to eat.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), There is no clear evidence that repeated use of emergency contraceptives poses any health risks [1]. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Even in the same menstrual cycle, you can take it many times [2]. A comprehensive opinion of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on emergency contraceptives mentioned that there was a study in which 8,800 women were allowed to use emergency contraceptives (levonorgestrel) with a normal dose of 2-4 times, with an average of 6-8 months without serious side effects [3].
In short, no authoritative organization has said that emergency contraception can only be taken three times a year.
Should what take emergency birth control pills?
Unprotected sex, broken condoms, slipping condoms, missing short-acting contraceptives, sexual abuse… It is best to take them as soon as possible. Although emergency contraceptives are taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse, the sooner the better.
As long as you are not ready for pregnancy and childbirth, should you eat or have to eat, which is at least better than induced abortion.
The last thing I want is that any girl has to have an induced abortion because she listens to the groundless statement that the emergency contraception pill can only be taken three times a year and does not take it when she should.
Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology of the Health Planning Commission said that China receives 13 million induced abortions every year, with a repeated abortion rate of 55.9%, and is getting younger and younger [4]. Well, this does not include drug abortions and abortions performed by unregistered small clinics.
But what I want to say next is that emergency contraception cannot be used as a routine contraceptive method. Even if you fail once and often walk along the river, how can you have shoes that are not wet?
Why can’t emergency contraceptives be taken often?
First of all, the effect of emergency contraception is not as good as you think.
The overall effectiveness of emergency contraceptives is only about 80%.
And many factors will affect the effect of taking the medicine. For example, taking the medicine after more than 72 hours, for example, vomiting within 2 hours of taking the medicine, affecting absorption, for example, the influence of taking other drugs, and for example, bad luck…
Condoms, short-acting contraceptives, intrauterine devices… With so many conventional and effective contraceptive methods, why do you have to take the risk of unwanted pregnancy before thinking of using emergency contraceptives afterwards?
Secondly, the side effects of emergency contraception are relatively large.
Although emergency contraceptives are far from having the power to cause abortion and infertility, the side effects are much more obvious than short-acting contraceptives.
Common side effects include nausea, headache, irregular menstruation, etc. Although these conditions will disappear after drug withdrawal, it is still easy to cause psychological pressure to girls, and worry is a problem.
Finally, forced by the national conditions, it is not appropriate to recommend too much.
For women who are at risk of unwanted pregnancy, emergency contraception pills are helpful.
A British study shows that less than 1% of women who have used emergency contraceptives need to take them more than three times a year [5]. Other studies believe that in order to avoid unwanted pregnancies, women should have more convenient access to emergency contraceptives, and they will not change their conventional contraceptive methods, such as condom use [6, 7].
It seems very reasonable. However, is it what’s situation in China?
< < 2012 World Contraceptive Day China Research Report > > shows:
- Nearly 60% of women have used contraceptive methods with low effectiveness (such as safety period and coitus interruptus); Nearly 70% of women think the contraceptive pill is an emergency contraceptive pill. About 45% of women have used emergency contraception [8].
In view of the domestic situation, I can only say:
Please learn the correct contraceptive method first! Don’t blindly take [remedial measures] after every passion! Emergency contraception cannot be used as a routine contraceptive method!