The prevalence of unwanted pregnancies in Nigeria is high, studies show. The ratio of young people having sex without protection is also on the high side. This is worrisome and it is not primarily because of bringing children into an economy that is already overstretched with no governmental safety net to protect and cater for children. Sexually transmitted infections are the biggest dangers of unprotected sex.
The prevention of pregnancy is elevated to the status of primacy which have given rise to all manner of methods with shaky results and all manner of emergency contraceptives that may or may not be safe. Some of these crude methods and mixtures include salt and water solution, lime-lemon solutions. Local solutions like uda seed known as the negro pepper has also been used.
As teenagers grow into adults or get exposed to the deep corners of sexuality via the internet or more exposed peers, the knowledge of foreign contraceptives gets slipped into the culture. Contraceptives like Postinor now join the queue and because these girls (and their boyfriends) have no sex education, they end up abusing these drugs, using more dosage where tact and a basic understanding of the drugs could have served.
There are side effects.
What Is Postinor 2?
Postinor-2 is an emergency contraceptive only. Postinor-2 is not intended as a regular method of contraception. It is used to prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. It is estimated that Postinor-2 will prevent 85% of expected pregnancies. 95% of expected pregnancies will be prevented if taken within the first 24 hours, declining to 58% if taken between 48 hours and 72 hours after unprotected intercourse.
It is not known whether Postinor-2 is effective if taken more than 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. All medicines have side effects. Often they are not serious but sometimes they can be. You may need medical treatment if you get some side effects.
Common side effects include:
Tiredness,
Nausea,
and Vomiting.
Other people have also experienced stomach pain, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, tender breasts, increased vaginal bleeding, and skin reactions.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients.
Effects of the Abuse of Postinor-2
There is a reason, it was tagged as an emergency contraceptive because it was made for cases of real urgency which should be rare. According to our in-house doctor, care should be taken to make sure it is not taken more than once within a full cycle. Here are some effects resulting from ingesting Postinor like water:
Delayed Ovulation: If taken before ovulation, it may delay the release of the egg. If taken after ovulation, it may interfere with the transport of eggs and sperm. According to statistics, several women complain about delays in the next period that results from delayed ovulation. Some women who take it more than twice a month may not see their period for a complete cycle.
Declining of bone component: This is an unpopular effect of the long-term use of Postinor 2. According to our in-house doctor, he warns that long-term misuse of this pill will lead to the gradual decline of calcium and phosphorus in the body which is the component of the bone. Therefore, many women will complain about some weakness and pain in the joints.
Prolonged period: In cases of misused long-term use of Postinor 2, a pattern of prolonged bleeding is noticed. One may continue bleeding for even after 14days, long after periods, thereby reducing the chances of pregnancy. This might sound like a harmless idea till the lady is ready to get pregnant.
Dehydration & The Dangers Of Not Drinking Enough Water
Weight Increase: Postinor 2 sometimes causes fluid retention in some women, which manifests as weight gain.
Infertility Risk: Because of the lack of knowledge on the right way to use Postinor 2 and the usage of Postinor 2 as a regular method of contraception by some ladies, there is a decrease in the fertility rate of a lady. Often more than not, many ladies use Postinor 2 in the wrong way, even using it with other drugs to increase its ‘potency’ and using more than twelve pills in a month, thereby resulting in an irregular monthly period.
When a woman’s monthly period begins to seize or becomes irregular, the chances of being able to get pregnant in the future becomes slim. This is because for a woman to have her monthly period, ovulation must take place and when Postinor 2 is constantly used or abused, it obstructs ovulation which in turn obstructs the menstrual cycle thereby reducing the chances of conceiving to slim or zero.
Other after-effects include nausea, breast tenderness, weight increase, amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods), etc.
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