Very often an unplanned pregnancy is undesirable for partners. Of course, for many people, the period of bearing the fetus and subsequent births are wonderful moments in life, but, unfortunately, the birth of children does not always fit into the plans of young parents. Typically, such situations arise due to lack of knowledge about the basics of sexuality, negligence, defective contraceptives, etc.
general information
Many couples are faced with situations where contraceptives have to be used after the sexual intercourse has occurred. As a rule, emergency postcoital contraception is carried out after unprotected sexual contact for 1-3 days. In this case, the hormonal method (or the so-called administration of progestogens) is most often used. As such tools, experts recommend using Postinor.
Can I take this progestogen with breastfeeding? What negative consequences does it provoke? The answers to these and other questions regarding the drug mentioned below.
The composition, form of the hormone "Postinor"
About whether it is possible to take Postinor during breastfeeding, only specialists know. Therefore, the use of such a hormonal drug is permissible only after consultation with a gynecologist.
The gestagen in question goes on sale in the form of white or almost white tablets in the form of a disk, with a bevel and circular engraving “INOR •” on one side.
The active active ingredient of the drug in question is levonorgestrel. As for excipients, these include: colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, potato starch, talc, corn starch and lactose monohydrate.
Can I get pregnant while breastfeeding?
The question of taking Postinor during breastfeeding worries many women. After all, the myth that pregnancy does not happen during lactation or happens extremely rarely is based only on beliefs.
Experts say that the risk of having a baby while breastfeeding is very high. Therefore, almost all doctors recommend that young mothers without fail use reliable methods of barrier contraception. Although even the most modern means of protection can not give a 100% guarantee.
If the risk of conception after unprotected intercourse is extremely high, then women are recommended to use emergency contraception. The most popular indicated method is taking the Postinor pill.
How does a hormonal drug work during unprotected intercourse?
Before you find out whether it is possible to take the drug “Postinor” during breastfeeding, you should find out what such a remedy is.
"Postinor" is a hormonal medicine that contains a huge dose of levonorgestrel. Such a synthetic hormone affects a woman’s body as follows: it slows down the progression of an egg into the fallopian tube, which prevents ovulation from happening.
The drug in question acts on the mucous membrane of the cervical canal, contributing to its excessive viscosity and making it impassable to seminal fluid.
Also, taking the “Postinor” tablet causes accelerated endometrial rejection. This changes the menstrual cycle and provokes an unplanned onset of menstruation. Together, all of these processes maximally prevent any chance of conception and pregnancy.
Duration of hormonal medication (after unprotected intercourse)
Many women after unprotected intercourse ask themselves not only whether they can drink Postinor while breastfeeding, but also how long to use such a drug. According to the attached instructions, if a birth control pill was taken on the first day after an unprotected act, then its effectiveness is about 85%. If the drug was used within two days, then its effectiveness is approximately 65-70%. The accepted remedy on the third day will be effective only by 45-50%.
Use of gestagen during lactation. The opinion of experts
"Postinor" - is it possible to use this remedy for breastfeeding? There is no unequivocal answer to this question. In addition, even the most experienced specialists cannot answer it accurately. Some doctors believe that the use of "Postinor" for breastfeeding is strictly prohibited. They explain this firm position by the fact that the drug in question contains a large concentration of synthetic hormone, which can have a detrimental effect on the health of the baby.
Other experts report that you can use Postinor for breastfeeding. They argue that such a drug does not affect the quantity and quality of breast milk.
There is also a third of doctors who are of the opinion that the synthetic hormones contained in this medicine get into milk, but only in small quantities. Therefore, they believe that “Postinor” is not capable of provoking the development of negative consequences during breastfeeding.
As for the instructions, it says that there have been no studies of the effects of the drug on the infant, so the reaction against the background of its intake can be unpredictable.
Precautions
Those specialists who allow the use of "Postinor" when breast-feeding a child recommend that the following precautions be observed:
- you should not apply the baby to the chest for a day and a half from the moment of taking the second tablet of the drug;
- during the action of the drug, milk must be decanted in order to prevent stagnation;
- It is advisable to feed the baby either breast milk expressed before taking the tablets, or with mixtures.
It's important to know!
According to the instructions, the maximum concentration of the drug "Postinor" in the blood is noted 3 hours after taking the first tablet. Therefore, within 60 minutes after applying the medicine, it is permissible to breastfeed the baby one more time (or to express milk).
Some young mothers make a big mistake when using gestagen not according to the instructions, that is, they take 2 tablets at the same time (without observing a break of 12 hours). This approach can cause many side effects. One of the most serious of these is uterine bleeding, which can only be stopped surgically.
Contraindications to taking hormones "Postinor"
There are no specific contraindications to the use of Postinor for women during lactation. All prohibitions on the use of this tool apply to all representatives of the weaker sex:
- The presence of hormone-dependent neoplasms such as fibroids, tumors in the chest, polyps. It should be borne in mind that a high concentration of hormones in the drug can cause the growth of an existing tumor.
- Diseases of the biliary tract and liver. A high dosage of synthetic hormones can provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases. With a large load on the liver, jaundice can occur.
- Irregular menstrual cycle. The drug "Postinor" violates the menstrual cycle and leads to hormonal imbalance. In this regard, it is not recommended to use it if a woman has a malfunction in the cycle or if there is bleeding of unknown origin.
- The drug "Postinor" is not an abortion. That is, this medication is not able to interrupt an existing pregnancy. Therefore, the use of such a tool with successful conception is impractical.
- The presence of thromboembolism. The occurrence of blood clots occurs with high blood coagulation. Due to the fact that levonorgestrel is able to thicken blood, it is not recommended to use it with this pathology.
- The age of the fairer sex. Manufacturers of "Postinor" prohibit taking it to girls under 16 years old. This is due to the fact that the hormonal background of the young body has not yet been formed, and the pill taken can cause serious negative consequences. Also, experts do not recommend taking Postinor for women after forty years, as a large dose of synthetic hormones can accelerate the onset of menopause.
- Personal intolerance to the drug. If, against the background of taking a contraceptive, a woman begins diarrhea or severe vomiting, then they speak of gestagen intolerance.
Consequences and side effects in women
Taking such a drug can provoke the development of the following conditions:
- diarrhea;
- hormonal imbalance;
- heavy and painful menstruation (within 2-3 cycles);
- pulling pain in the lower abdomen;
- nausea, severe vomiting;
- menstrual cycle failure (approximately 4-6 months);
- headaches, dizziness, migraines;
- pain and tension in the mammary glands;
- apathy and feeling tired;
- severe intrauterine bleeding.
It should also be noted that after taking the “Postinor” tablets, women are not allowed to plan a pregnancy for the next 4-7 months.
Before the onset of menstruation after using the drug, it is necessary to protect yourself well (use reliable barrier contraception).
Breastfeeding Postinor: Implications for the Baby
Many experts are of the opinion that taking the drug in question does not have any effect on the quality and quantity of breast milk. As practice shows, such a medicine does not have any negative effects on the infant's body. It should be borne in mind that research on the late impact of Postinor on the development and growth of the baby has not been studied.
Reviews on the effects of the drug
Can I use Postinor for breastfeeding? There are practically no reviews of women who took such a drug during lactation on the World Wide Web. Therefore, many nursing young mothers decide on taking progestogen on their own. However, some experts seriously recommend weighing the pros and cons. Indeed, according to the instructions, there are a lot of adverse reactions at Postinor. It is also not clear how strongly synthetic hormones are harmful to the baby's health. All this should be considered when taking the drug during breastfeeding, as a nursing mother has great responsibility for her baby.