Levonelle - Morning After Pill
Levonelle is an emergency contraceptive pill that contains the hormone, levonorgestrel. Women who have had unprotected sex or experienced a contraceptive mishap take this drug to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Levonelle, manufactured by Schering is often referred to by professionals as a "morning after pill" and it is effective at preventing pregnancies.
How Does Levonelle Work?
Depending on the point at which a woman takes Levonelle during her cycle, this pill works in several different ways. The hormone releases a signal telling the body not to release an egg, which prevents fertilisation. By increasing the thickness of the cervical mucus, Levonelle makes it difficult for sperm to travel through the vaginal cavities and unable to reach an egg. If the sperm successfully fertilises an egg, the hormones in this pill prevent the egg from implanting in the uterine lining.
How Quickly Do I Need to Take Levonelle?
Women should take Levonelle within 72 hours of having unprotected sex or failure of a contraceptive. Studies found that it is most effective to take emergency contraceptive pills within 12 hours of an incident. Levonelle is not an ongoing contraceptive method, and women should only take this pill in emergency situations to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Levonelle Dosage
Levonelle packs come with a single dose of one tablet. This one pill contains a high dosage of levonorgestrel, which is the synthetic version of the naturally occurring hormone, progesterone. Doctors do not recommend that women take more than one dose of Levonelle to prevent pregnancy. If a woman vomits after taking this pill, she may take another to ensure effectiveness.
How Effective is Levonelle?
Levonelle is more effective the earlier a woman ingests it after unprotected sex or a contraceptive mishap. It is not 100 percent effective and will not prevent pregnancy in everyone, but experts estimate that Levonelle is around 84 percent effective. There are certain conditions that make this pill less likely to work. It may not work if the woman has unprotected sex again after taking Levonelle or if she already engaged in unprotected sex earlier in her cycle. If vomiting occurs within three hours of taking the pill, it may not be effective, and pharmacists may prescribe another dose. Women who are already pregnant should not take emergency contraceptives as they do not abort pregnancies. A doctor or pharmacist will inquire about medications and conditions to ensure there are no possible drug interactions or side effects.
Levonelle Side Effects
The most common side effect of taking Levonelle is feeling sickness in the stomach or abdominal areas. Women may experience headaches, stomach pains, diarrhoea, dizziness, fatigue or breast tenderness. Most symptoms disappear within a few hours to a few days. The majority of women receive their next period at the regular time, but it is not uncommon to have it slightly early or late after taking Levonelle. Some women experience spotting prior to their next period, which may be lighter or heavier than usual.
