Levonorgestrel tablets are not recommended for routine use as a contraceptive.
Levonorgestrel tablets are not effective in terminating an existing pregnancy.
Effects on Menses
Menstrual bleeding patterns are often irregular among women using progestin-only oral contraceptives and in clinical studies of levonorgestrel for postcoital and emergency contraceptive use. Some women may experience spotting a few days after taking levonorgestrel tablets. At the time of expected menses, approximately 75% of women using levonorgestrel tablets had vaginal bleeding similar to their normal menses, 12% to 13% bled more than usual, and 12% bled less than usual. The majority of women (87%) had their next menstrual period at the expected time or within ± 7 days, while 13% had a delay of more than 7 days beyond the anticipated onset of menses. If there is a delay in the onset of menses beyond 1 week, the possibility of pregnancy should be considered.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancies account for approximately 2% of reported pregnancies (19.7 per 1,000 reported pregnancies). Up to 10% of pregnancies reported in clinical studies of routine use of progestin-only contraceptives are ectopic. A history of ectopic pregnancy need not be considered a contraindication to use of this emergency contraceptive method. Health providers, however, should be alert to the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy in women who become pregnant or complain of ower abdominal pain after taking levonorgestrel tablets.
There is currently no manufacturer warning information available for this drug.
Levonorgestrel tablets are a prescription-only emergency contraceptive, for women age 17 and younger, that can be used to prevent pregnancy following unprotected intercourse or a known or suspected contraceptive failure. This product is not approved for nonprescription use.
To obtain optimal efficacy, the first tablet should be taken as soon as possible within 72 hours of intercourse. The second tablet must be taken 12 hours later.
Emergency contraceptive tablet. Each levonorgestrel tablet contains 0.75 mg of a single active steroid ingredient, levonorgestrel [18,19-Dinorpregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one-13-ethyl-17-hydroxy-, (17α)-(-)-], a totally synthetic progestogen. The inactive ingredients present are colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, FD&C Yellow #6, magnesium stearate, povidone, and lactose monohydrate. Levonorgestrel has a molecular weight of 312.45, and the following structural and molecular formulas:
C21H28O2
