Levonorgestrel - News and Information

Teenage pregnancies on the rise despite £286m campaign in UK

admin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:52:43 +0000

Official figures to be published next week will show the conception rate among under-18s is on the rise after dropping for several years. They will reinforce England’s position as the teenage pregnancy capital of Europe, with about 40 in every 1,000 schoolgirls becoming pregnant. Half of them go on to have abortions. Official figures to be published next week will show the conception rate among under-18s is on the rise after dropping for several years.

They will reinforce England’s position as the teenage pregnancy capital of Europe, with about 40 in every 1,000 schoolgirls becoming pregnant. Half of them go on to have abortions. Read more.

Pledging to remain a virgin means little discover researchers

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:42:39 +0000

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Teenagers who officially pledge to save sex for marriage may be no more likely than their peers to do so — but they may be less likely to take precautions during sex, a new study suggests. The findings, published in the journal Pediatrics, are based on a comparison of so-called virginity pledgers and non-pledging teens from similar backgrounds. Read more.

Over 200,000 unplanned pregnancies - mostly because of misinformation

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:39:23 +0000

Dr. Wilf Steinberg describes it as the ‘unicorn theory’. Many teens believe a woman gets pregnant only if they have an orgasm. Some others believe that first-time sex doesn’t lead to pregnancy. The gynecologist and assistant professor, department of obstetric and gynaecology at the University of Toronto believes there’s a lot of misinformation with teens and even older women. Some women over 40 believe their age alone ensures that they won’t get pregnant. Some 50% of pregnancies in Canada are unintended and about half of these occur to women who use some form of contraception. Read more about this at Canada.com.

Abortion foes, supporters, clash over new rule

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:53:54 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — A new rule granting sweeping protection to a broad range of health workers who won’t provide abortions and other care could set up the first big reproductive rights fight of the Obama era.

Fiery demonstrations, abortion clinic bombings and headline-grabbing killings of doctors largely faded from the U.S. public consciousness in the last decade, and mainstream anti-abortion groups focused on limiting access to the practice legislatively under a supportive President George W. Bush. Read more.

Use Plan B - Levonorgestrel for emergencies - not for routine use

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:47:43 +0000

With this troubling economy looming over us, it seems nothing is safe from the choking grasp of a worldwide marketplace in tailspin. Even sex can’t escape the pattern. More and more people are finding the rising cost in birth control distressing, putting a strain on people’s sex lives, maybe even halting them. For students at Eastern, this isn’t much of a problem. Health Service routinely offers condoms at extremely low prices, encouraging safe sexual practices without burning a hole in students’ pockets.

But what about other people?

Students take this readily available birth control for granted without considering how rising prices affect those who haven’t been blessed with the gift of good birth control at low prices like some kind of contraceptive Wal-Mart. The rising price in birth control methods has some people considering an alternative strategy: Plan B.

Meant to be taken rarely in the event of improper or irregular birth control use, or in the case of unprotected sex, Plan B contains a high dosage of the hormone progestin, reducing the chance of pregnancy by about 89 percent, according to Not-2-Late.com, a Web site by the Office of Population Research at Princeton University and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. According to the Web site, about 23 percent of women experience side effects including nausea, headaches or vomiting. Read more.

Pharmacists may be allowed to refuse filling emergency contraception prescriptions

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:43:42 +0000

A bill in the Legislature would allow the state’s pharmacists to cite a “moral objection” and refuse to fill emergency contraception prescriptions. The measure poses serious problems for rural and low-income women and could result in more abortions, the Citizen says in an editorial. Read more

Levonorgestrel - information about usage and side-effects

admin — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:46:13 +0000

What is the most important information I should know about levonorgestrel?

Avoid smoking cigarettes while using levonorgestrel. Smoking increases the risk of developing a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot. Levonorgestrel does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases–including HIV and AIDS.

What is levonorgestrel?

Levonorgestrel is a form of progesterone, which is a female hormone involved in conception. Levonorgestrel is used to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary) and by causing the cervical mucous to thicken, which makes it harder for sperm to move toward the uterus. Levonorgestrel is used to prevent pregnancy for up to 5 years.

Levonorgestrel may also be used for purposes other than these.

Who should not use levonorgestrel?

Before using levonorgestrel, tell your doctor if you have

high blood pressure, angina, or heart disease; had a stroke; a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder;
liver disease; breast cancer, uterine, or another hormone-related cancer; undiagnosed, abnormal vaginal bleeding; a history of intracranial hypertension (increased blood pressure inside the head); diabetes;
an increased level of cholesterol in your blood; migraines; asthma; or seizures or epilepsy.

You may not be able to use levonorgestrel or you may require special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Levonorgestrel is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that levonorgestrel is known cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can have very serious negative effects on a developing baby. The use of levonorgestrel during early pregnancy is not always harmful to a developing baby. Notify your doctor immediately if you think you might be pregnant.

The hormones in levonorgestrel pass into breast milk. Talk to your doctor before using levonorgestrel if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use levonorgestrel?

Use levonorgestrel exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. To use the Norplant system, your doctor or health care provider will surgically implant six capsules containing levonorgestrel under the skin of your upper arm.

Following insertion of the capsules, keep the area clean and dry and avoid heavy lifting with that arm for 2 to 3 days. The incision should be healed in about 3 days. Follow your doctor’s instructions regarding proper wound care.

Use another method of birth control for at least 7 days after insertion of the levonorgestrel capsules.

Have a complete physical examination at least once a year while using a levonorgestrel implant.

The capsules will continue to work for 5 years and should be removed by the end of the fifth year. New capsules may be inserted at that time if desired.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since the implanted capsules continuously release a low dose of levonorgestrel, missing a dose does not occur when using this form of levonorgestrel.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of levonorgestrel can result only if more than six capsules are implanted at once, which is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid while using levonorgestrel?

Avoid smoking. Smoking increases the risk of developing a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot.

Levonorgestrel does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases–including HIV and AIDS.

What are the possible side effects of levonorgestrel?

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:

an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
possible blood clot in the lung (shortness of breath or pain in the chest);
possible blood clot in an arm or leg (pain, redness, swelling, or numbness of an arm or leg);
headaches with a change in pattern, severity, or length, or that are unending in nature or accompanied by changes in vision;
high blood pressure (severe headache, flushing, blurred vision); or
liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue).
infection at the insertion site;
pain, numbness, or tingling in the arm with the implanted capsules; or
movement of the capsules under the skin.
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Talk to your doctor if you experience
breakthrough, heavy, or prolonged menstrual bleeding;
lack of menstrual bleeding;
pain, swelling, or bruising at the insertion site;
headache or dizziness;
nausea;
breast tenderness;
changes in weight or appetite;
oily skin or acne; or
changes in hair growth.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect levonorgestrel?

Other medications may decrease the effectiveness of levonorgestrel. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products, while using levonorgestrel.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist has additional information about levonorgestrel written for health professionals that you may read.

What does my medication look like?

Levonorgestrel is available with a prescription under the brand name Norplant System. Other brand name or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you might have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

Norplant System-six capsules for implantation each containing 36 mg of levonorgestrel

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. (’Multum’) is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum’s drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum’s drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.