Global Courant 2023-05-31 11:03:26
The measure was made official this Wednesday in the Official Gazette and under the signature of the Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti.
The Government enabled as of this Wednesday the sale without a prescription in pharmacies throughout the country of the “pill or pill of the day after”, a method to avoid unwanted pregnancies in an emergency situation.
The new regulation was made official through Resolution 1062/2023, which was published in the latest edition of the Official Gazette and was signed by Carla Vizzotti, head of the National Ministry of Health, who had announced the measure on the afternoon of Tuesday.
The document highlights that “access to contraception in all its forms is framed within sexual and reproductive rights, recognized as basic human rights,” while warning about the “difficult access to health services, contraceptive supplies and education that some sectors of the population have”.
The morning after pill, an emergency contraceptive. Photo: Shutterstock.
In this context, “accessibility to the prevention of an unintended pregnancy is considered a priority, therefore, every person of childbearing age must have timely access and without regulatory restrictions to emergency hormonal contraception.”
Due to its mechanism of action, which inhibits ovulation, “its efficacy is extremely sensitive to time and constitutes an effective and safe emergency support after unprotected sexual intercourse or in which the contraceptive failed or was used incorrectly.” inappropriate or after forced sexual intercourse”.
“The condition of sale “FREE SALE” is established for all medicinal specialties registered in the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT) that contain Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg,” the document established in Article 1.
For its part, through Resolution 1063/2023 the Ministry of Health confirmed the update of the “Protocol for Comprehensive Care of Persons with the Right to Voluntary and Legal Termination of Pregnancy”, while through Resolution 1093/ 2023 approved the Clinical Manual of “Comprehensive health care in situations of gender-based violence. Tools for health teams” and the “Guidelines for the detection and care of injuries related to gender-based violence in the dental office ”.
How does the “morning after pill” work?
Emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy by different mechanisms of action.
1. They modify cervical mucus. The endocervical canal, through the glands that line it, produces cervical mucus. This protects sperm from the acidic environment of the vagina. The morning-after pill, thanks to the hormone that composes it, modifies the characteristics of said cervical mucus, making it more hostile to the survival of spermatozoa.
2. They delay or inhibit ovulation. This means that they prevent or delay the release of the egg from the ovary and prevent it from coming into contact with the sperm.
The morning after pill, an emergency contraceptive (Thinkstock Photos)
3. Avoid implantation. That is, they prevent an already fertilized egg from adhering to the walls of the uterus, modifying the characteristics of the tissue where the pregnancy is implanted, the endometrium.
Effects of the morning after pill
After being ingested, vaginal bleeding is expected from 2 days to a maximum of 14 days. If it does not occur within that period, a pregnancy test should be performed. After the vaginal bleeding has occurred, the cycle is normalized, in general, a month after bleeding after taking the pill, sometimes delaying no more than 14 days.
”Some points to keep in mind is that it is not effective if it is taken before sexual intercourse or if alcohol is ingested. It is not an abortion pill, so it does not work after a pregnancy has already occurred. It is accepted to take it until 3 times a year (no more), because frequent intake causes alterations in the normal functioning of the ovaries, that is, irregular cycles and ovulation failures”, clarifies Dr. Bensadón.
Side effects of emergency pills can include:
nausea
vomiting
Abdominal pain
Breast tenderness
Headache
dizziness
Fatigue
These effects usually do not last more than two days.
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