Friday, June 21, 2013

PlanB one-step is now approved by FDA

Millions of women take birth control or contraception pills to prevent unplanned pregnancy after an unprotected sex. This backup method is safe, convenient and effective way to avoid unnecessary pregnancy when a regular birth control method fails or used wrongly. Every year, nearly 2 million unplanned pregnancies are prevented with the help of publicly funded contraception in the United States. Recently, FDA has approved Plan B one-step progestin-only emergency contraceptive pill as a nonprescription product that means it is going to be sold over-the-counter for all women without age restrictions.

PlanB one-step is now approved by FDA

Since July 2009, Plan B one-step was already approved by FDA as a nonprescription product for women age 17 years or above. In 2011, the FDA was planning to allow emergency contraceptives as a nonprescription product without age restrictions but Kathleen Sebelius (Health and Human Services Secretary) overruled her own scientists in an extraordinary move. In April 2013, Edward Korman (U.S. District Judge) ordered the FDA to approve emergency contraceptive for all women with child-bearing potential without any prescription. Due to this approval, PlanB one-step emergency contraceptive age limit has been decreased to 15 years.

The Plan B One-Step is a single-dose emergency contraceptive that cut the chances of being pregnant by 89% if taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sexual intercourse, rape or condom failure. It works best if taken within the first twenty-four hours. The pill does not work if girl or woman is already pregnant.
The active ingredient of pill is levonorgestrel, the same ingredient found in many birth control pills. The pill works just like other birth control pills. It prevents ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary) or fertilization (joining of an egg cell and a sperm cell) and thus, avoids pregnancy. The pills are available at the retail pharmacy stores.

The pill is not as effective as regular birth control pills so don’t consume it regularly. Common side effects of pill are changes in period, breast tenderness, nausea, headache, dizziness, fatigue and lower abdominal pain. It will not protect a woman from HIV infection or STDs (sexually transmitted diseases). Women who are allergic to levonorgestrel should not take Plan B One-Step.

At present, three types of emergency contraceptive are available in the U.S. such as ella, Plan B and One-Step. Ella is prescription-only product while Plan B is available as OTC product for women aged 17 and above.

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