The morning after pill in India

Several brands of the morning after pill is now available in India from a chemist or medical shop. A primer on what the emergency contraceptive pill.

31 January 2006
MUMBAI, INDIA

What is the morning after pill?

The morning after pill is conceived as an emergency contraceptive to be used when sexual intercourse takes place without using any contraceptives. The idea is that the availability of such a morning after pill will help reduce the number of abortions that take place, especially among the young.

The emergency contraceptive can be orally taken in two doses within 72 hours of unprotected sex, with the second dose to be taken after 12 hours after the first.

The pill is basically a progesterone formulation called levonogrestrel. Sold in two dosages of .75 mg, the two are to be taken together for the desired effect. The safety part is still debatable as the doctors themselves have two opinions on the pill. Some rule out side effects like nausea or breast tenderness, usual effects that follow the intake of the regular pill. Another school says that the morning-after pills should only be used in an emergency, and not more than twice a week. It is reported to have caused menstrual irregularity and also severe stomach upset and nausea in some.

It is a backup birth control device for when regular contraception fails - expulsion of an intrauterine device (IUD), condom breakage or diaphragm displacement are examples. It is also an emergency option, such as in the case of rape victims.

It is clearly specified that making the morning after pill a regular habit is not a good idea. For regular contraception, it is always better to opt for a regular contraceptive pill after consultation with a gynaecologist, or the simpler solution - use condoms (though condoms are not as guaranteed against conception and pregnancy as a contraceptive pill is.)

Availability of the morning after pill in India

The emergency contraceptive pill or morning after pill is available in India now with the brand names EC2, Pill 72, E-Pilland Norlevo etc. The e-pill was being manufactured in India since 2001 which then could be purchased 
only with a doctor’s prescription. Now, a morning after pill is an OTC drug - meaning, you can walk into a chemist shop or medical store and puchase it.

Morning after pill and Indian youth

The media has been making a lot of noise about how the morning after pill has affected the secual habits of the Indian youth. if one goes by the occasional news story that appears, one would believe that the hunks who dislike condoms, as well as the partying babes have all taken to the morning after pill - however, there is no real evidence that it is so. It could be so in the near future, but right now, we have no data on the same.

However, there has been some awareness among the youth on the availability of the morning after pill.

HIV and the morning after pill

The emergency contraceptive pill does not protect against any sexually transmitted diseases or HIV. It is purely to  protect oneself from unwanted pregnancies after unexpected or unplanned unsafe sex. This is another reason why the morning after pill is not a good idea as a regular contraception method.

Doctors stress the need for more counseling as the pills become more easily accessible in India. 

Long term side effects of the emergency contraceptive

Prolonged use of the pills, reportedly lead to hormonal problems and the pill has also been known to cause bleeding and nausea. The carcinogenic characteristics of the pill have also not been completely ruled out. 

Contraceptive pills are infamous as causatives for cancer and other hormonal problems among the health conscious, and the e-pill’s interceptive nature is no base to close out on its side effects.

Interception slows down the ovum’s sojourn and prevents it from attaching to the uterine wall as the lining of the uterus is made unfriendly for the ovum. If the pill is taken early in the monthly cycle, it delays ovulation.

Pill vs morning after pill

The regular pill works on the principle of prevention: It releases a low dose of hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) to inhibit ovulation, without which conception cannot occur. The morning after pill, on the other hand, works as an interceptive agent, so it is effective up to five days after unprotected sex though ideally, it is encouraged to be consumed immediately. The difference is the difference between prevention and cure!

The government, interestingly, feels that the pill will come handy in preventing unwanted pregnancies, thereby reducing the population. Moreover, it weeds out conception related anxiety and also helps in improving their reproductive health. 

Not an abortion pill

The morning after pill is different from the abortion pill, in that it does not interfere with an existing pregnancy and so not effective after the zygote gets attached to the uterine wall. So it is safe to use it after unprotected sex even when pregnant. One would advise you to still consult a doctor before taking it.