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Yes. Preliminary data suggest that 0.75 mg levonorgestrel (e.g., Postinor®, Postinor® II) is at least as effective as combined oral contraceptives (COCs) for ECP use, with fewer side effects than COCs.
When high-dose oral levonorgestrel pills are used as ECPs, two doses of 0.75 mg levonorgestrel pills are taken 12 hours apart. The first dose should be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse.
If 0.75 mg levonorgestrel pills are not available, low-dose progestin-only pills (POPs) containing levonorgestrel might be tried.
The use of low-dose progestin-only pills (POPs) as ECPs would require a woman to take 20 of the 0.0375 mg levonorgestrel POPs or 20 of the 0.075 mg norgestrel POPs in order to get the indicated 0.75 mg dose of levonorgestrel. The total course of therapy would therefore, be 40 tablets.
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Early studies of levonorgestrel studied a 48-hour period after unprotected intercourse compared to 72 hours for the COC method. Another study is underway wherein the time limit has been extended to 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. Preliminary studies suggest that levonorgestrel is as effective or more effective than COCs as EC. Oral levonorgestrel pills as EC could improve patient compliance because of the lower incidence of side effects than is associated with COCs as ECPs.
- Ho PC, Kwan MSW. A prospective randomized comparison of levonorgestrel with the Yuzpe regimen in post-coital contraception. Human Reproduction 1993;8(3):389-92.
- Trussell J, Ellertson C. Efficacy of emergency contraception. Fertility Control Reviews, 1995; 4(2):8-11.
- Consortium for Emergency Contraception. Emergency contraceptive pills. Welcome, Maryland: The Consortium, 1996.
An alternative regimen is comprised of a single dose of 0.6 mg of norgestrel (a racemic mixture of which levonorgestrel is the active isomer) taken within 12 hours of intercourse.
- Marechaud M. La pilule du lendemain: contraception post-coitale. Soins Gynecologie Obstetrique Puericulture Pediatrie Dec. 1990-Jan 1991;115-6:29-30.
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