In a woman’s life, the problem of protection from unplanned pregnancy is of significant importance. For this purpose, regular and emergency contraception is provided, sold through pharmacy chains without a prescription. Today we will look at the effect of one of the emergency contraceptives, get acquainted with its effect on the reproductive system, adverse reactions and determine whether a delay in menstruation is possible after Escapelle.
Action Escapelle
Hormonal emergency contraception is available in tablet form. The active component is levonorgesterl, a synthetic analogue of natural progesterone. The substance is as close in composition as possible to the natural female hormone, but its effect is several times higher. A modern, highly effective drug causes inhibition in the development of the egg, prevents the onset of ovulation, and affects the structure of the endometrium.
A high dose of progesterone automatically transfers the body to the second phase of the menstrual cycle. The egg either stops developing or does not leave the follicle. If this process has already occurred, option “B” applies. A fertilized egg will not be able to attach to the walls of the uterus, since the endometrium has an inappropriate structure. Conception occurred, but could not turn into pregnancy.
Failure of the menstrual cycle
If menstruation begins on time or ahead of schedule, a woman may understand that pregnancy has not occurred, but if there are no periods, the risks of an unplanned pregnancy are high. However, a delay in menstruation after Escapel is a fairly common occurrence, because the drug disrupts the menstrual cycle.
In the first phase of the cycle
Half of women mistakenly believe that they got their period the next day if the drug is taken before ovulation, although in reality it is a daub. The discharge is perceived as menstruation that began ahead of schedule, so they are quite surprised when the discharge recurs after a couple of weeks. The reason lies in hormonal imbalance, which prevents the development of eggs. Regardless of whether they started early or on time, scanty periods usually pass. The reason is simple: the endometrial layer does not develop enough under the influence of hormones, which means there is nothing special to reject.
In the second phase
Menstruation after taking the drug in the second phase may also be disrupted, because the high level of progesterone prepares the body for pregnancy, despite the fact that fertilization has not occurred. During this period, the endometrium grows, the discharge becomes thicker, and menstruation may be delayed for days or even several weeks. Sometimes in the middle of the cycle there is spotting, but the delay can reach twenty days, after which heavy discharge begins.
During menstruation itself
There is a common stereotype that during menstruation, a woman cannot become pregnant. In fact, sex at the end and beginning of your period has a high chance of resulting in pregnancy. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of contraception even during such a piquant period. Please note that taking Escapel during menstruation may cause a small amount of bloody discharge to appear after ten to fourteen days, or prolong menstruation by several days.
Instructions for use
An emergency hormonal drug is taken in special cases:
- Unprotected sexual intercourse;
- The condom broke;
- Missed a scheduled contraceptive pill.
It is recommended to take the tablet within 72 hours. If more time has passed, there is no point in drinking Escapelle. Often the drug provokes vomiting. In this case, you need to take the drug again. Eating does not affect the effect of the drug.
The effectiveness of contraception depends on the time when the pill was taken.
- Within 24 hours after intercourse – 95%;
- 48 hours – 85%;
- 72 hours – 58%.
Theoretically, there is no point in taking Escapelle if more than 4 days have passed. If we assume that ovulation occurs on the day of unprotected intercourse, within 4 days the fertilized egg will attach to the wall of the uterus. The drug does not cause miscarriage, but promotes ectopic pregnancy. The effectiveness of the active ingredient decreases in the presence of intestinal problems. The substance is not completely absorbed and is excreted in liquid feces.
The drug has a number of contraindications, you need to familiarize yourself with them before taking the pill.
- Kidney, liver failure;
- Problems with lactose absorption;
- Age up to 16 years;
- Pregnancy;
- Lactation;
- Individual intolerance to components.
Side effects include temporary disruption of the menstrual cycle with a delay of 5 days, nausea, swelling of the mammary glands, pain in the lower back, abdomen, swelling of the face, weight gain.
If a woman needs to take Escapelle more than once in a cycle, she should think about hormonal contraceptives, which are taken daily.
Contraindications for use
Doctors may not always recommend this contraceptive. There are some contraindications to taking it. Taking the drug is prohibited in the following cases:
- individual intolerance to the main components,
- teenage years,
- pregnancy,
- liver failure,
- lactose intolerance and other hereditary diseases.
Take with caution for people with problems with the liver, kidneys or digestive system.
Today, Escapelle is a popular drug among women of reproductive age. But you should always remember that this is a strong hormonal contraceptive. It should be taken only in the most urgent cases. Escapelle does not always provoke the onset of menstruation and has nothing to do with medical abortion, so taking it after fertilization will not produce results.
Delayed menstruation after taking the pill
It is considered normal to delay menstruation by 5 days in the current month. Next time your period should come as planned. Escapelle dramatically changes hormonal levels - the amount of progesterone increases. How painfully the body reacts to this depends on the day of the cycle when the pill was taken. Modern doctors say that there are no safe days in the cycle. Sex should be protected any day. The emergency pill can be taken after or before ovulation.
- If before this moment the egg has not had time to mature, ovulation does not occur, and the menstrual cycle is extended by 5 days.
- If the pill is taken after ovulation, the progesterone level was quite high, an additional dose leads to a lengthening of the menstrual cycle. Because menstruation comes only after the hormone level decreases. Critical days will come only when the desired balance is adjusted.
What to do if there is a delay of 2 weeks?
You can do nothing, wait until your hormonal levels are restored. However, this behavior is very risky, since a delay may be a sign of pregnancy. Given the fact that emergency protection increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy, inaction can lead to dire consequences.
If the test is negative
The result is considered reliable if the delay after menstruation is 14 days. However, when taking a pill, you can’t be sure of anything. The best option is to go to a gynecologist. If there is a pregnancy, the doctor will already be able to determine it.
10 days late next month
The menstrual cycle should be fully restored next month. With the onset of menstruation, the maturation of a new egg begins. If there is a delay again, you should seek help from a specialist. You will have to regulate your hormonal balance. This means only one thing - the emergency contraceptive pill acted so strongly that the body cannot recover in the next cycle.
To avoid serious health problems and not to disrupt the functions of the reproductive system, you should not take Escapelle more than once a month.
Doctors' opinion
Doctors warn that hormonal drugs sometimes have an extremely negative impact on women's health. A broken cycle, deterioration in general health, mood swings and fluctuations in body weight are just harmless manifestations of the effect of this contraceptive on the body. It is much worse when uterine bleeding occurs, which sometimes cannot be stopped even by surgery. You can provoke a similar phenomenon by trying to induce menstruation on your own using folk remedies, which are delayed after taking Escapel.
A healthy body is able to independently overcome the hormonal imbalance caused by the drug.
To do this, doctors recommend following simple but useful steps:
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Sleep 8-9 hours.
- Take regular walks in the fresh air (at least 30-60 minutes).
- Subject your body to moderate physical activity every day.
Doctors strongly advise that after taking the Escapella tablet, you should be especially careful with the menstrual cycle - the main indicator of female reproductive function. If after using a contraceptive you do not have your period for a long time, or your cycle has become irregular, it is better to immediately contact a gynecologist.
Smear after Escapelle
Changes in hormonal levels have negative consequences. Spotting after taking the pill is considered normal. However, it should stop with the end of full menstruation. If blood continues to be released, professional help is needed. Of course, you can expect the body to recover on its own, but it’s better to be safe.
There is good news! Smearing often indicates that your period is approaching. In this situation, menstruation comes 5 days earlier than it should. This is much better than languishing in anticipation with a delay of 2 weeks. However, spotting can also warn of an ectopic pregnancy. It's worth being alert and getting tested. Even a weak second stripe counts as a positive result.
When should your period start?
After taking the drug, your period should begin within 3-5 days.
The discharge can be very scanty, since menstruation is artificially induced. The duration of discharge does not exceed 3-6 days. Some women experience menstruation either immediately after taking the drug or a week later. Such dates for the onset of menstruation can be considered a variant of the norm.
If a week has passed since taking the drug, and there are no critical days, you need to visit a gynecologist to exclude the possibility of pregnancy or the development of complications associated with the use of Escapel. If you do not exceed the dose of the drug, a woman’s menstrual cycle will be restored quite quickly after taking it.
Pain in the lower abdomen and lower back
There is nothing unusual about this. A similar condition occurs before menstruation, when the uterus prepares to shed the endometrium. The hormone progesterone regulates the activity of the reproductive system. Since its level has been artificially increased, symptoms characteristic of the last week before menstruation immediately appear. Breast engorgement, breast enlargement, lower back pain, abdominal pain.
If bloody discharge appears along with painful sensations, it is necessary to conduct a test. This is how an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage manifests itself.
Analogs
Structural analogues of Escapel are Postinor, Eskinor-F.
- Postinor. The drug is made in Hungary. The active effect is due to levonorgestrel. Consequently, emergency contraception repeats the properties of Escapel, its effectiveness, and side effects. The main difference is taking not 1, but 2 tablets with an interval of 12 hours. You are allowed to take tablets no more than once every 6 months. At worst, after 3 months. This indicates severe stress for the female body and reproductive system. After taking the pills, there is a delay of menstruation by 1 week or bleeding.
- Eskinor-F . The drug is produced in India. The active ingredient is levonorgestrel. Tablets of 0.75 mg - taken twice with an interval of 12 hours, 1.5 mg - within 72 hours after sexual intercourse 1 time. The drug does not affect blood clotting and does not disrupt metabolism. It has the same contraindications and side effects as Escapelle. The maximum effectiveness is 95% if the tablet is taken on the first day after unprotected sexual intercourse.
The following are used as emergency contraceptives:
- Implanon;
- Genale;
- Charosetta;
- Exluton;
- Lactinet;
- Modell mom.
The active components of these drugs are levonorgestron or mifepristone. The main difference is in action. Levonorgestrol is ineffective if conception has already occurred; mifepristone is taken as an abortifacient. It provokes rejection of the attached egg and disrupts pregnancy. An example of such a drug is Zhenale, Ginepristone.
How to avoid delay
Even the most experienced gynecologist cannot predict how your periods will go after Escapelle. Most of the women who took this drug noted disruptions in their cycle in the form of a delay in menstruation. It is impossible to avoid this, since here there is interference in one of the most delicate systems of the body - the hormonal one. But you can reduce the risks by following a few simple rules:
- Use the contraceptive in strict accordance with the instructions.
- Do not use if at least one of the contraindications is present.
- You should take the pill no later than 72 hours after unprotected sex.
- Avoid concurrent use of other medications.
- Do not drink alcohol together with the drug.
- Treat your body kindly after such a serious load in the form of using Escapel.
- Do not abuse the use of these tablets (take no more than once every six months).
From reviews on forums and from the words of women, it follows that most of them had a delay in their periods after Escapelle. This is not a side effect, but is characterized as a consequence of the effect of levonorgestrel on the menstrual cycle. Such a serious intervention forces you to weigh the pros and cons of using these pills, because it is wiser to foresee the situation than to later try to correct it using emergency methods.
Obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, pediatric gynecologist.
Area of professional interests: sexually transmitted infections, cervical diseases, planning and management of pregnancy, contraception, ultrasound diagnostics, gynecology of childhood and adolescence.
