Did the pill fail to work?
What you need to know:
- The pill is not 100 per cent effective and even then, many brands are fake. If one misses a period, pregnancy tests have to be done. That said, as a side effect, the pill may also delay periods.
- Taking the pill twice a month shows that you need a more comprehensive method of contraception which can be advised at a family planning clinic.
I took Postinor twice in one month, first on February 16 and then February 18. I was expecting my periods on February 28 but they never came. Did the pill fail to work?
-Kezia
Dear Kezia: When a woman has unprotected sex and does not want to get pregnant she can use an emergency contraceptive pill.
In Uganda, most of these pills contain a hormone progesterone (levonorgestrel).
The pill mostly prevents pregnancy by delaying or stopping shedding of the egg (ovulation) and may continue to work up to five days.
However, the longer one takes to take the pill, the less effective it becomes.
The pill is not 100 per cent effective and even then, many brands are fake. If one misses a period, pregnancy tests have to be done. That said, as a side effect, the pill may also delay periods.
Taking the pill twice a month shows that you need a more comprehensive method of contraception which can be advised at a family planning clinic.
