Compare Postinor and Escapel | Determine the best

Unplanned pregnancy is a worldwide situation. Many women from Canada to Australia learn about the random conception of a child every day. Not everyone decides on motherhood, and the number of abortions is growing. As an alternative to abortion in the 20th century, emergency contraceptive pills have been proposed. We will tell you about the most famous representatives of this group.

Thirty years ago, in the arsenal of a woman who was not ready for motherhood, there was only one drug - Postinor. It was necessary to take two tablets with an interval of 12 hours to prevent unwanted conception of the child. Later, Eskapel appeared on the pharmaceutical market. In composition, it is no different from Postinor, but for reliable contraception it is now enough to take only one pill.

The scheme of use is not the only difference between the drugs in question. The experts of our magazine studied medical reviews and found out that Escapel acts more efficiently than Postinor. One pill copes better with a problem than two taken at intervals. According to modern WHO recommendations, Eskapel is the drug of choice among all the products of this group.

Levonorgestrel versus unwanted pregnancy

Postinor and Escapel are drugs for emergency contraception. They are designed to prevent unwanted conception of the child in the event that a woman did not want or could not use standard means of protection. The composition of the considered medications is the same, the difference is only in the dosage:

1. Postinor contains 0.75 mg of levonorgestrel. In one package - two tablets.

2. Escapel contains 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel. In one package - one tablet.

To obtain the desired effect, a woman should take 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel - one tablet of Eskapel or two Postinor. You can not change the dosage of the drug. If a woman takes only one pill Postinora, the drug will not work, and pregnancy will occur.

Postinor and Eskapel are available at the pharmacy by prescription. You can get a prescription from a gynecologist. It is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible, because emergency contraception is only effective for the first three to four days.

How do drugs work, and is there any difference?

Levonorgestrel, which is part of both drugs, is a representative of synthetic gestagens. It binds to tissue receptors more actively than its own progesterone. Getting into the bloodstream, it inhibits the production of FSH and LH in the pituitary gland and disrupts the natural course of the menstrual cycle. With the recommended dosing regimen, levonorgestrel reliably prevents unwanted pregnancy:

1. Suppresses ovulation - prevents the follicle from ripening in the ovary, prevents its release into the abdominal cavity. No ovulation - no full egg. Fertilization is impossible, and unprotected sexual intercourse will not lead to the conception of a child.

2. Thicken cervical mucus. In the thick secret of the cervical canal, male sex cells cannot move quickly. They die before they reach the egg.

The emergency contraceptive bulletin highlights the following: Escapel and Postinor mainly affect ovulation. The remaining mechanisms of the effect of the drug are not well understood. There is no evidence that levonorgestrel really effectively thickens cervical mucus. The proposed review does not indicate a significant difference between the Postinor and Escapelle - both tools equally affect the functioning of the reproductive organs.

It is important to know: Both drugs are valid only until fertilization. Earlier it was believed that emergency contraceptive pills inhibit the embryo to travel through the fallopian tubes and lead to the death of an embryo already entrenched in the uterus. Studies conducted by WHO have shown that this is not the case. Levonorgestrel as part of the drugs we are considering is not capable of:

1. Interfere with the progress of the fertilized ovum in the uterus.

2. Prevent implantation - embryo insertion into the uterine wall.

3. To lead to the death of the embryo entrenched in the uterus and cause a spontaneous miscarriage.

Escapel and Postinor do not have an abortive effect. They warn the conception of a child, but do not lead to the interruption of an already occurring pregnancy. Differences between drugs were not detected, despite the different regimen.

What means more effective?

Clinical studies conducted under the auspices of WHO have shown: Escapel is more reliable than Postinor. With the correct use of the drug Eskapel, its effectiveness is 98.7%, while Postinor - about 96%. There are explanations for this:

1. Escapel is valid for 96 hours, while Postinor is only 72 hours. The woman has more time to go to the doctor’s office, get a prescription, buy the drug, and take a pill.

2. Escapel is more convenient than Postinor. Practicing gynecologists note that patients often forget to take the second pill Postinor or drink it later than 12 hours. The effectiveness of the contraceptive decreases, and the likelihood of pregnancy.

3. If a woman takes Postinor strictly according to the instructions in the first 72 hours after intercourse and does not forget to drink the second pill in time, she will be protected from unwanted pregnancy. In this case, the effectiveness of Postinor is not inferior to Escapella.

When are they appointed?

According to the instructions for use, the indications for prescribing drugs are the same. Postinor and Escapel are used for emergency contraception after unprotected intercourse:

1. If the condom broke during intercourse.

2. If a woman forgot to take oral contraceptives or insert a vaginal ring.

3. If the expiration date of the implant, injection progestogen or intrauterine device is over.

4. If the intrauterine device or vaginal ring fell out.

5. If the woman did not use any of the available methods of contraception.

An interesting study on contraception was conducted in Scotland. It turned out that 89.7% of women who had an abortion had an unplanned pregnancy. Therefore, in its bulletins, WHO recommends that all women of reproductive age keep emergency contraceptive pills on hand - so as not to waste time searching for them after unprotected sexual intercourse.

How are they assigned?

The scheme of use is different for the studied drugs:

1. Escapel is enough to take once within 96 hours after intimacy. One pill is enough to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.

2. Postinor must be taken twice. The first pill - as early as possible, the second - 12 hours after the first (but no later than 16 hours). Both pills need to drink no later than 72 hours after intercourse.

3. If vomiting occurs within three hours after taking the contraceptive, another pill should be taken at the same dosage.

How are they transferred?

In the course of numerous studies It turned out that the frequency of side effects does not increase with increasing doses of the drug.While taking Postinor (0.75 mg), unwanted reactions occur in the same way as when using Escapel (1.5 mg).

Possible side effects:

1. allergic reactions - urticaria, pruritus, swelling of the face;

2. headache and dizziness;

3. asthenic syndrome: weakness, fatigue, fatigue;

4. nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea;

5. lower abdominal pain;

6. breast tenderness;

7. acyclic bleeding from the vagina.

Emergency contraceptive pills often result in a delay of menstruation for 5-7 days. If there are no monthly periods for a week or more, you need to consult a doctor - exclude pregnancy.

Postinor and Eskapel are not dangerous for the child. If contraceptives do not work, and pregnancy comes, you do not need an abortion. No data on the negative impact of levonorgestrel on the development of the fetus.

Escapel and Postinor do not apply:

1. children under 16 years old;

2. during pregnancy - are not the means for medical abortion;

3. with severe liver disease.

It is undesirable to use drugs during lactation. If it is necessary, breastfeeding should be stopped for 24 hours - until levonorgestrel is eliminated from the body.

What else you should know about emergency contraception

Important to remember:

1. Drugs based on levonorgestrel are effective only in the first phase of the cycle. They can suppress ovulation, but are unable to stop the release of an already mature egg. Escapel and Postinor practically do not work directly into ovulation and 2-3 days before it. In the second phase of the cycle, taking pills makes no sense. An egg that is not encountered with a sperm cell dies within 24 hours, and conception is impossible until the next cycle.

2. Levonorgestrel efficacy decreases overweight (BMI over 25) and obesity (BMI over 30). The risk of unwanted pregnancy after taking Eskapela or Postinor for women with overweight is 1.5 times higher, with obesity - 3 times. The probability of conceiving a child is 5.38% (with a normal weight - up to 2%). It is better for these women to use mifepristone or hormonal IUD drugs.

3. The effectiveness of emergency contraceptive pills may decrease with time. This question remains controversial. Some sources indicate that the effect of levonorgestrel does not change during the first 3-4 days after sexual intercourse. In others write that the effectiveness of contraception is reduced. The instructions to Postinor indicate that on the first day you can prevent unwanted pregnancies with a probability of 95%, in the latter only 85%. If a woman takes the drug on the third day, the effectiveness drops to 58%. While scientists have not come to a consensus, gynecologists advise their patients to take the drug as soon as possible after intercourse.

4. Drugs do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. They do not prevent HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia and other dangerous conditions.

5. You can not take more than once in one menstrual cycle. These are drugs for emergency contraception, they will not replace the basic means of protection against unwanted pregnancy.

findings

Let's sum up:

1. Escapel and Postinor contain one active ingredient - levonorgestrel. They are used as emergency care after unprotected intercourse and help prevent unwanted pregnancies.

2. Escapel is more convenient than Postinor: just take one pill.

3. Escapel acts longer and more reliably protects from unwanted pregnancy.

4. The risk of adverse reactions is the same for both drugs.

5. Postinor and Escapel do not guarantee absolute protection against unwanted pregnancy. Sometimes they fail, and the conception of a child happens. In favor of the onset of pregnancy speaks delayed menstruation, engorgement of the mammary glands, changes in appetite, nausea. If you notice such symptoms after taking the drug, consult your doctor.