There has been a saying circulating on the Internet 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 (such as Yuting). Simply put, it is 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, use it as you need it.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that there is no clear evidence that repeated use of emergency contraceptives will cause any health risks [1].
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The American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) believes that even in the same menstrual cycle, it can be taken multiple times [2].
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According to a comprehensive opinion of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on emergency contraceptives, studies have allowed 8,800 women to use emergency contraceptives (levonorgestrel) with 2-4 times the normal dose for 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.
Then the question arises… … …
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, they are still easy to cause psychological pressure to girls.
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 [4]. 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 using condoms [5, 6].
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 [7].
In view of the domestic situation, I can only say:
Please learn the correct contraceptive method first! Don’t blindly take [remedial measures] after finishing every time! Emergency contraception cannot be used as a routine contraceptive method!
Should what take emergency birth control pills?
Unprotected sex, condom breakage, slipping, missing short-acting contraceptives, sexual abuse… It is better to eat these situations, and the sooner the better.
Although so much has been said about the emergency contraception pill, if you are not ready to get pregnant and have children, even if you have taken the emergency contraception pill five times a year, you should still take it, 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 [8]. Well, this does not include drug abortions and abortions performed by unregistered small clinics.
But I still want to touch my conscience and say again, 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?
Eat the emergency contraceptive pill or pregnant, do you want induced abortion?
First of all, if pregnancy has been confirmed, emergency contraception is clinically prohibited.
Secondly, within 14 days after fertilization, if drugs and toxic and harmful substances are taken, either the embryo will directly die and miscarry, or there will be no what effect. This is medically called “all or no” effect.
The time of taking emergency contraceptives is usually within 72 hours after sexual intercourse, and the effect on the embryo is [all or no]. Therefore, if the pregnancy is successful, it means that the pregnancy can continue.
However, if you are not ready to have children, you need to go to a regular hospital as soon as possible for the next step.
Therefore, whether the child will stay or not depends entirely on the attitude of the parties themselves.