I-Pill Versus Unwanted 72 - Side Effects, Precautions and Usage

What Are Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs)?

As the name suggests, emergency contraceptive pills are used by women after intercourse to prevent pregnancy. It does not mean that these pills are used every time to stop the pregnancy. They are only used after unprotected intercourse. Sometimes, these pills are also known as “morning-after pills” or “the day after pill,” because these medications need to be taken immediately after intercourse. It is because the earlier the pills are taken, the better the effect. If the woman consumes these pills within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, they provide up to 95 to 98 % protection from unwanted pregnancy. However, these pills must not be used if the patient is sexually active and wants to avoid pregnancy. These pills are of great help in avoiding pregnancy after rape or forced sex. However, the doctor should be consulted before these pills are used.

What Is Unwanted 72?

Unwanted 72 comes under the category of emergency contraceptive pills. They are named so because they have to be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Unwanted 72 pills contain levonorgestrel, which is a hormone and is used for emergency contraception. The patient needs to make sure that the pill is taken at the earliest to obtain the best results. It is because the pill is not very effective if taken after 72 hours or later. Unwanted 72 needs to be taken orally with a glass of water. Nausea, vomiting, headache, tiredness, and abdominal pain are some of the side effects of this medication. These side effects usually subside after some time, but the patient must consult the doctor if the side effects persist.

What Is an I-pill?

I-pill is also used as an emergency contraceptive drug to prevent unplanned pregnancy. However, one must remember that I-pill is not a birth control medication that can be used at any time. Rather, it is an emergency drug and needs to be used only after unnatural sex, rape, or forced sex. It is because these are the situations where the woman does not want to have a baby, but she might get pregnant due to unwanted intercourse. The I-pill also contains levonorgestrel which works to prevent the production of eggs from the ovaries (female reproductive system). I-pill is only meant for women under 25 to 45 years of age and must not be consumed by teenagers.

What Is the Composition of I-pill and Unwanted 72?

Both I-pill and Unwanted 72 contain the hormone levonorgestrel as the principal ingredient. However, I-pill also contains ethinylestradiol in small amounts. The composition of I-pill and Unwanted 72 is described below:

1. Levonorgestrel - Levonorgestrel or progestin is a hormone present in emergency contraceptive pills. An emergency contraceptive pill contains about 1.5 milligrams of levonorgestrel. The patient must consume the medication at the earliest to achieve the best results. With the support of a physician, individuals can purchase emergency contraceptive pill.

2. Ethinylestradiol - Ethinylestradiol or synthetic estrogen is used in combination with levonorgestrel in emergency contraceptive pills. The I-pill contains about 0.03 milligrams of ethinylestradiol. It works by preventing the development of eggs and helps to stop unplanned pregnancy.

What Is the Mechanism of Action of the I-pill?

Ovaries are one of the most crucial organs of the female reproductive system. Under normal conditions, the ovaries produce eggs every month at the time of menstruation. The ovaries are also responsible for the production of female sex hormones, known as progesterone. When the female is ready for conception, the ovaries increase the production of progesterone so that the uterus is ready for a future pregnancy. Next comes the process of fertilization. Suppose the female receives the sperm from the male during intercourse; the eggs and the sperm mix together to give rise to an embryo (future baby). However, if the pregnancy does not occur, the progesterone levels fall, and the menstrual cycle begins. There are two mechanisms by which I-pill works, depending upon whether the menstrual cycle is going on or not:

1. As I-pill contains levonorgestrel, the progesterone levels of the body will be elevated. So, the ovaries get a message that they need to stop producing eggs as the progesterone levels are high.

2. If the ovaries have released the egg before the consumption of the drug, I-pill inhibits the procedure of fertilization.

What Is the Mechanism of Action of Unwanted 72?

The human body contains a pituitary gland that produces two hormones, mainly follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones are also known as gonadotropins because they control the function of the male and female reproductive organs (gonads). In females, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) control ovulation and the menstrual cycle. As Unwanted 72 contains levonorgestrel in high amounts compared to I-pill, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) get inactivated. As a result, the lining of the uterus becomes thin, making the process of implantation almost impossible. So, Unwanted 72 is used to prevent pregnancy after intercourse. The patient needs to remember that the drug does not work if the patient is already pregnant. Also, the woman must take the drug within 72 hours to get the best results.

What Are the Indications of Emergency Contraceptive Pills (I-pill and Unwanted 72)?

The main goal of emergency contraceptive pills like I-pill and Unwanted 72 is to prevent unplanned pregnancy. The uses of I-pill and Unwanted 72 are listed below:

1. Unprotected intercourse.

2. Rape or sexual assault.

3. If the condom breaks or tears during the intercourse, the patient might need to consume the emergency contraceptive pill.

4. If the patient missed his regular birth control pill, Unwanted 72 or I-pill needs to be taken to stop the unwanted pregnancy.

What Are the Side Effects of I-pill and Unwanted 72?

The emergency contraceptive pills like I-pill and Unwanted 72 interfere with the normal mechanism of the body, so the patient might present with some side effects. The side effects of these medications are listed below:

• Nausea.

• Headache.

• Abdominal pain.

• Vaginal bleeding or discharge from the vagina.

• Bodyache.

• Fatigue.

• Breast tenderness.

• Irregular or delayed menstrual cycle.

• Dizziness.

• Bloating.

• Skin rashes.

• Weight gain.

• Long-term side effects like hair loss, ear infections, and swelling of the hands, feet, lips, and tongue.

What Precautions Must Be Taken Before Using I-pill and Unwanted 72?

I-pill and Unwanted 72 come with a list of precautions that need to be taken by the patients before using them. The patient must take the following precautions:

1. Both the drugs need to be stored in a cool and dry place.

2. The drugs are only meant to be used for emergency purposes, so the patient must not consider them regular contraceptive pills.

3. Consult the doctor before taking these drugs.

4. Keep the medication away from the reach of children.

5. Avoid keeping them in a refrigerator or a moist place.

6. The drugs do not provide any protection from sexually transmitted diseases, so the person must wear a condom before intercourse.

7. Females who are pregnant or expecting to be must not take these drugs.

What Are the Drug Usage Warnings Associated With I-pill and Unwanted 72?

The patient must consume these drugs only after consultation with the doctor. Do not take the emergency contraceptive drugs under the following circumstances:

• If the woman is pregnant or planning to be.

• As these drugs contain levonorgestrel as the principal ingredient, the patient must not consume these drugs if she is allergic to levonorgestrel.

• If the patient has a history of cardiac diseases.

• If the patient is taking medications for hypertension or high blood pressure.

• If the patient is taking vitamin supplements.

• If the patient has a history of bleeding disorders.

• If the patient is suffering from genetic disorders.

• If the patient is suffering from breast cancer and respiratory diseases.

Which Drugs Interfere With the Working of I-pill and Unwanted 72?

The doctor always asks the patient about his drug history before recommending emergency contraceptive pills. It is because the effectiveness of these pills gets reduced if other drugs are taken along with them. The following drugs reduce the effectiveness of emergency contraceptive pills:

1. Phenytoin.

2. Carbamazepine.

3. Griseofulvin.

4. Felbamate.

5. Topiramate.

6. Rifampicin.

7. Tetracycline.

8. Primidone.

9. Benzodiazepines.

10. Corticosteroids.

11. Beta-blockers.

Which One Is Better- I-pill or Unwanted 72?

The answer to this question depends upon the expectation of the person from the medication. The following points compare the two drugs:

• Both the drugs have similar composition; that is, both contain synthetic progesterone and levonorgestrel. The only difference is that I-pill is available as a 1.5 milligrams tablet, and Unwanted 72 is available as a 0.75 milligrams tablet. So, I-pill has a higher dose compared to Unwanted 72.

• Sometimes, the doctor recommends the patient take two doses of Unwanted 72 because there is a chance of conception if the second dose is missed.

• However, the advantage of Unwanted 72 is that only a small amount of drugs gets absorbed into the body. As a result, the hormonal changes are in control, and there is less damage to the reproductive cycle.

• I-pill has better efficacy than Unwanted 72, and the patient need not take two doses. I-pill has become popular over the past few years because people think that it is more effective than Unwanted 72.

• The ones who want minimal effects on their bodies and the reproductive cycle will choose Unwanted 72. On the contrary, people who want maximum efficacy of the drug will choose I-pill.

Conclusion:

I-pill and Unwanted 72 come under the emergency contraceptive drugs that aim to prevent unplanned pregnancy after unnatural intercourse. These drugs must be consumed at the earliest to get the best results. There is no major difference in the composition of I-pill, and Unwanted 72, as both of them contain synthetic progesterone. However, I-pill is considered more effective than Unwanted 72 as it contains more progesterone. People consuming any of these drugs must remember that they are not regular birth control pills and have to be used only in emergencies. However, the patient must consult a doctor before taking these drugs to know about the benefits and the side effects.