Health Tips
A backup support of contraception
Salahuddin Ahmed
Unwanted pregnancy is a major leakage of our family planning management and population control. From one study we learnt that more than 24 lac married couples are using only traditional methods like calender method. So they are in risk for undesired pregnancy. All categories or groups of the married couple have a chance occurring unwanted pregnancy. It can happen frequently. In this circumstance emergency contraceptive pill may be helpful.Emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) is an emergency contraception option as a backup support for the regular family planning methods. ECP is not a regular useable contraception pill. If taken within 72 hours of unprotected physical intercourse, it prevents pregnancy to happen. When to take
(a) If there is leaking of condom during physical intercourse.
(b) If somebody forgets to take oral contraceptive pills for three consecutive days.
(c) If taking of family planning injection is delayed for 14 days.
(d) If miscalculation happens while counting safe period. How to take
(i) Two doses of ECP have to be taken.
(ii) The first does has to be taken within 72 hours of the physical intercourse. However the sooner it is taken the better its effectiveness.
(iii) The second dose has to be taken after 12 hours of taking the first dose. However, research shows that ECP is safe for all women. It is even safe for those women who might have complications with regular contraceptive pill. The probability of pregnancy form an unprotected sex is 8 out of 100. Key messages of ECP (i) By taking ECP within 72 hours after unprotected physical intercourse, unplanned pregnancy can be prevented.
(ii) ECP is not an alternative to regular contraceptive pills.
(iii) ECP is only for women.
(iv) ECP is neither an abortion nor a regularly useable contraceptive method.It should be prohibited in young girls. We should be conscious about misuse of ECP in the name of birth control. The writer is Deputy Director of Population Health and Nutrition Cell, Bangladesh Betar, Dhaka.
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