It is uncommon for ladies to be concerned about the usage of the popular emergency contraceptive, Postinor 2. Hence, this article is focused at addressing most frequently asked questions about Postinor.
This article have two parts:
Part 1: Is Postinor Effective? Does It Work?
Part 2: Is Postinor Dangerous? Is It Safe?
1. Postinor is not an abortion drug!
Postinor is not an abortion drug. It is a contraception drug. There is a big difference. Abortion means pregnancy has occurred and the baby is removed.
Contraception is to prevent pregnancy from occurring in the first place. Postinor is for pregnancy prevention (not pregnancy termination). If you are pregnant, postinor will not work – it won’t harm the baby; it wont affect the pregnancy!
2. Postinor must be taken as early as possible!
The key to making sure it works is this:
the earlier, the better! The earlier you take the drug after sex, the better the chances of preventing pregnancy. Usually, after 72 hours (3 days) after sex, there is no guarantee that postinor will work!
If taken early enough, and within 72 hours, postinor prevents pregnancy up to 85% of times! That’s high!
There is no way to know if the postinor has worked – and prevented you from getting pregnant. Unfortunately, you might have to wait for your next period – if it comes, it has worked!
3. There is a wrong way of taking postinor
This is the right way : If it has one tablet in the pack: simply take that single tablet, immediately after sex, and within 72 hours.
If it has two tablets in the pack: Don’t take the two tablets at once ! (It will mess things up for you, and effectiveness is not guaranteed). Rather, take one of the two tablets immediately, and take the second tablet 12 hours later (after taking the first)
Always check the expiry date on the pack before taking postinor!
1. Postinor doesn’t affect future pregnancy. It doesn’t cause barrenness.
Postinor should not be taken more than once in every month (menstrual cycle). Ideally, you should not take postinor more than once in a month (in your menstrual cycle). It is not a regular contraceptive; it is an emergency
contraceptive. In other words, it is preserved for emergency situations : unprepared unprotected sex, burst condoms, rape cases, failure in other birth control methods, and so on.
If you have sex regularly, look for other methods of contraception in order to avoid taking postinor more than once in a monthly cycle.
Taking postinor frequently could cause serious changes in your menstrual flow and cycle, like:
Menses coming too early or too late
Heavy menstrual flow or scanty flow
Menses comes to frequent than usually
Severe menstrual pain
NB: If you are experiencing any of the above, and you are worried, see your doctor.
But, really, that’s all: It doesn’t cause barrenness or affect fertility.
2. Postinor has side-effects
Every drug has side effects. It is not an issue, most times. Postinor is not an exception. The side effects of postinor are usually very mild. Sometimes, so mild that you might not even notice them! If you see them (and they are not serious), don’t worry about them.
Some of the common side effects of postinor include: abdominal (stomach) pain, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, pain in the breasts, and so on.
See your doctor immediately if you are experiencing severe abdominal pain or if you are bleeding severely!
3. Postinor may be dangerous
Taking postinor in some situations may be dangerous and, if you are scared you might already be pregnant, please contact your doctor before taking postinor.
Some of the situations when taking postinor 2 might be dangerous include:
Alhough in most countries, Postinor is an Over-The-Counter drug, it is advisable to talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking it.