the morning after pill This is a method of emergency contraception. That is, it should only be used when traditional methods fail, for example due to a broken condom. This is because it has very strong side effects which can also get worse if used frequently. It should never be used as the primary method of contraception. Now that there is no other choice but to use it, it is desirable that since the first barrier failed, this one worked. Many years ago, it was estimated that the most widely used tablets based on levonorgestrelIt is 95% effective. However, over time, it was noticed that it could be much less effective, so other dosages or techniques were looked for to improve results. And one of them seems as curious as taking it in combination with an anti-inflammatory: piroxicam.
It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is often taken for prevent arthritis pain. Its safety has been very well studied, so there is no need to start clinical trials from scratch, as with a new drug. In addition, it is an approved drug widely used in many countries.
For this reason, although we have yet to do more in-depth research, this combination can be a small push that should make the pill the next morning to work much better. Of course, as emergency contraception.
What is the morning after the pill?
The pill the next morning is a drug that delays ovulation, as this is the most favorable moment in the menstrual cycle for fertilization.
There are many substances that can be used for this purpose, although the most commonly used are uristil acetate and levonorgestrel. The former requires a prescription, while the latter can be freely sold in pharmacies, which is why it is most widely used in Spain and many other countries.
This synthetic progestin or, equivalently, a laboratory-synthesized hormone that mimics the action of progesterone. And this is its effect. The menstrual cycle goes through several phases marked by peaks of hormones that rise and fall. In the event of ovulation, it is triggered when progesterone levels drop. Therefore, with artificial introduction very high dose of the hormonethere will be no ovulation.
The effectiveness of levonorgestrel
Available data on the efficacy of levonorgestrel are derived from clinical trials conducted in 1998in which it was agreed that it prevented 95% of expected pregnancies when taken within 24 hours of unprotected intercourse, 85% when taken within 25–48 hours, and 58% when taken within 49–72 hours.
However, subsequent studies and the clinical data themselves have shown that these figures may be much worse.
For this reason, a group of Chinese scientists are studying combinations with other drugs until I came to the conclusion that piroxicam might be an option. The intravaginal administration of this and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to interrupt ovulation has already been studied. However, its role has not yet been analyzed. combined with tablets the next morning.
To do this, the authors of this study had 860 women who applied for emergency contraception at a clinic in Hong Kong. They were all dosed levonorgestrel 1.5 mgin combination with another tablet. In half of the participants it contained piroxicam 40 mgand in the other half it was placebo. They didn’t know which group they were assigned to, so it was a randomized, blind trial.
After that, they were observed, and if they did not have their menstruation at the appointed time, they were given pregnancy test. Thus, it was observed that in those who took the pill the next morning only within 24 hours of intercourse, 63% of pregnancies. However, when combined with an anti-inflammatory, the percentage rose to 95%. As for side effects, there were practically no differences.
some restrictions
All this suggests that this can be a very useful option to improve the results of the pill the next morning. It will be necessary to continue its study; since there are limitations such as the fact that most of the participants were Asiatic, with a body mass index below obesity. Since the tablet in the morning is less effective in obese people, it is necessary to test how well the combination works. In any case, so far it seems that these scientists are on an interesting path.
Source: Hiper Textual
