Yuzpe method: emergency contraception after the act, taking pills, dosage, effectiveness and consequences

Today, unprotected intercourse is often found among unmarried couples when pregnancy is undesirable. There are also cases of coercion to sex, contraindications to bearing. In this regard, it is the methods of emergency contraception that are relevant. Often the population and even some medical workers are not fully aware of the principles of pregnancy prevention, therefore there is a risk of untimely, incomplete provision of qualified care.

There are several methods of contraception after unprotected intercourse. One of them is the Yuzpe method, which consists in taking tablet combination contraceptives.

History of Emergency Contraception

For many decades, scientists have studied the likelihood of fertilization after unprotected intercourse, concluded that with irregular sexual intercourse, the percentage of conception is 20-25% during one cycle, that is, in 20-25 couples out of 100 pregnancy occurs after such sex.

Every girl, woman should know the conditions of conception:

• ovulation period - the most favorable period, occurs with a regular cycle on the 14th day;
• fertilization - 5 days before the egg leaves the dominant follicle, 1 day after that: if earlier - the sperm of a man’s sperm dies, if later - the egg dies;
• a fertilized egg should be transported by the fallopian tubes, securely attached to the walls of the uterine cavity, while there should be no inflammatory processes of these organs;
• 14 days elapse between sexual intercourse and pregnancy.

Even in ancient times, women tried in various ways to prevent conception - a hot bath, washing with decoctions of different plants, mechanical methods - bouncing, sneezing after sex. The earliest documented use of contraception was observed in Egypt, where they began to produce vaginal suppositories of spermicidal activity for the first time, which were spread with honey.

At the moment, emergency contraception after the act has nothing to do with past methods, only the name is preserved, and the tactics are not traumatic, do not threaten the woman’s health. The technique was named after the doctor from Canada Albert Yuzpe, used since 1977. Drugs that are taken in this way are hormonal birth control (COC).

Pregnancy Prevention Principles

• Means for emergency contraception should be as affordable, safe, effective as possible.
• The constituent part is estradiol, levonorgestrel, the release form is tablets.
• All drugs with the same result of action, which allows a woman to choose herself.
• The risk of pregnancy when taken within 3-5 days is up to 3%.
• Acceptance of funds no later than 5 days after ejaculation.
• The possibility of using individuals with contraindications to hormonal contraception.

The use of combined hormonal contraceptives for emergency contraception according to the Yuzpe method is carried out in the first 72 hours after ejaculation. Drugs are taken, which include 100 μg of estradiol, 500 μg of levonorgestrel twice in 12 hours after the first dose. The funds that are taken are any low-dose COCs. For example, in America and Canada, women take 4 tablets of "Ovral", in Germany - "Tetraginone", in our country - "Mikroginona", "Femodena", "Rigevidon", "Regulon", "Minisiston", 5 tablets - " Mercilon "," Novineta "," Logesta ".

The mechanism of action of oral contraceptives

The mechanism of action of the Yuzpe method in practice depends on when the drugs were taken. Postcoital contraception can prevent or delay ovulation, but if pregnancy has already occurred, contraceptives of this group do not affect it, that is, abortion is excluded. On the contrary, intrauterine systems affect conception until the egg and sperm meet.

If we compare the use of COCs as emergency contraception with medical abortion, then in the first case the method is effective in the period before the development of pregnancy, and the second is a method of ridding a woman of her conception. Emergency contraception lasts up to 5 days after ejaculation, and medical abortion after 5 days, when a fertilized egg is introduced into the wall of the uterine cavity.

Conditions for the impossibility of embryo implantation under the influence of combined contraceptives are a decrease in the number of steroid hormone receptors, the absence of nuclear channels of the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, uneven glandular, stromal parts of the endometrium, a change in the amount of isocytrate dehydrogenase.

Eligibility criteria for the appointment of post-coital remedies

There are 4 categories of a woman’s body condition that determine the possibility of using emergency contraception.

1st category - there are no contraindications (during breastfeeding, an ectopic pregnancy in the past, repeated use of contraception, rape).

2nd category - the expected result exceeds the risks of prescribing the drug (diseases of the cardiovascular system - strokes, heart attacks, angina pectoris, migraine headaches, liver pathology).

3rd category - the risks of taking contraceptives exceed the results of the use of medicines.

4th category - absolute contraindications for the use of emergency contraception (pregnancy, confirmed by an increase in chorionic gonadotropin in the blood, urine, ultrasound results).

Indications for use

• Unprotected sex (without a condom, lack of contraceptives).
• Damage to barrier contraceptives (diaphragm, condom).
• Explication of the intrauterine system.
• Indications for the removal of the spiral.
• Use exclusively spermicides.
• Violations of taking combined oral contraceptives.
• The recent use of drugs that can affect the developmental processes of the fetus - teratogens.
• After the rape.
• The first sexual intercourse.
• Taking a contraceptive with progestin late for more than 3 hours.
• Use of an injectable combination drug later on for 7 days.
• Premature removal of barrier contraceptives.
• Violation of the technique of applying spermicides, insufficient formation of a film on the walls of the vagina.
• Sex during ovulation.

Special conditions when prescribing drugs

1. Breastfeeding - Do not feed the baby 6 hours after taking the pill.
2. Unprotected sexual intercourse at least 110-120 hours before using a contraceptive - a recommendation for an intrauterine system.
3. Several unprotected acts - the use of emergency contraception is possible in such cases.
4. Repeated contraception - there are no contraindications, a doctor’s recommendation for planned contraception.
5. Emergency contraception before sex - the recommendation of the use of other methods of preventing pregnancy.
6. Sexual intercourse during a period when a woman cannot become pregnant - with anovulatory menstrual cycles - the mandatory use of emergency contraception in any unprotected intercourse.
7. The effect on the contraceptive of other medicines - the doctor must explain to the patient the features of the interaction of contraceptives with the drugs that she is still taking.

Contraindications to the procedure

• The woman's age is more than 35 years.
• Severe headache before migraine.
• Pregnancy.
• Pathology of the liver.
• Smoking for a long time.
• Pulmonary thromboembolism, a history of uterine bleeding.

Side effects of methods

Emergency contraception drugs bring the woman's body a powerful blow to the hormonal background. The main side effects are nausea, repeated vomiting, tenderness in the chest area. Menstruation after emergency contraception can occur very early or vice versa, with a delay. Perhaps the development of uterine bleeding, malfunctions of the menstrual cycle, allergic reactions.

Yuzpe method: women reviews

The female sex often resorts to the use of "fire" contraception after unprotected intercourse. Reviews about emergency contraception are positive, they are especially common on blogs, on various forums, on social networks. This is all due to the fact that the effectiveness of this method is quite high - in 70-98% of cases, pregnancy does not occur, which is the basis of reviews of this method.

Therefore, emergency contraception is an important aspect of preventing an unwanted pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. Positive feedback from patients who use this method in life is due to the high efficiency of the method.