“The morning after pill will be free for all women without a prescription at pharmaciesThis Tuesday, September 20, the Minister of Health Francois Brown announced in an interview published online by the daily newspaper. 20 minutes. Advertising is considered to be “positiveby many health professionals, but should be used with caution.
It has been available over-the-counter since 1999, and the morning-after pill, or emergency contraceptive pill, became free for minors in 2013. This measure taken by the Minister therefore facilitates access to contraceptives for women who are currently “forced to make an appointment with a doctorto receive compensation, congratulates the President of the National College of Midwives, Adrienne Gantois. A”good news for women who want to avoid unwanted pregnancyIsabel Heron, president of the FNCGM (National Federation of Medical Gynecology Fellows), rejoices..
However, its effectiveness is not infallible. “I have seen women who are four or five months pregnant say to me,“, warns former president of the French National College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) Israel Nissand. Faced with the risk of unplanned pregnancy, the doctor recommends a pregnancy test.”to verify that the rules are real rules“. Thus, to ensure the effectiveness of the pill, doctors recommend taking the pill within 24 hours after risky sex. Some pills can even be takenthree to five days after intercourse“, – notes Isabelle Heron.
What are the health risks?
“The risks are not known or publishedon women’s health to date, according to Israel Nisand. However, all health professionals agree. the morning-after pill is an emergency contraceptive that should not be taken long-term. “Taking it regularly will reduce its level of effectiveness“, explains the professional. Therefore, this act is not inconsequential and should not be ignored because the tablet contains “high dose of hormoneswarns Pierre-Olivier Vario, president of the Union of Community Pharmacists (USPO).
This intake of hormones regularly leads to disorders in the female body. Isabel Heron notes several recurring side effects in women after taking emergency contraceptive pills:Headaches, nausea or even vomiting, light bleeding and possibly a delay in the return of menstruation“. Important symptoms when 80 to 90% of pills in the morning are distributed to minors, according to Pierre-Olivier Variot.
However, this emergency contraception does not affect women’s fertility, which is a widely held misconception. “The morning after pill has never been responsible for infertility, as it is a hormonal treatment that will simply shut down ovulation temporarily.Isabel Heron explains. In the beginning, “it was even invented to make women more fertile, reminds Israel Nisandbecause when the treatment was stopped, there was a recovery of fertility“.
Control the delivery of pills
Therefore, the intake of this drug should be monitored. Delivery of the pill by the pharmacist must be accompanied by “medical advice, such as preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), recommending condom use, and the need to consult a doctorsays Isabel Heron. USPO President Pierre-Olivier Vario assures that pharmacists make similar recommendations to women. To support this approach, Health Minister Francois Brown also announced:the opportunity for free screening that extends to all STDsin his interview with 20 minutes. Until then, only HIV research was free.
To best help women take the emergency contraceptive pill, Adrienne Gantois, president of the National College of Midwives, is calling on the Ministry of Health to introduce better sex education starting in high school. The health worker notices that some young people “uninformed“and”lost in the face of conflicting information“. This sometimes makes them think that the morning-after pill can replace “the pill followed“. Prohibited behavior, because doctors advise to prefer contraception in the long run.
Source: Le Figaro
