EC Pharmacology And Toxicology

Research Article Volume 5 Issue 1 - 2017

Levonorgestrel, Emergency Contraception: What the Users Know and Need

Carmen Rubio Armendáriz1,2*, Montserrat Gloria Plasín Rodríguez2, Carmen Candelaria Padrón Fuentes2, Nuria Raquel Casanova Herrera2, Daida Alberto Armas2, María Yolanda González González2 and María García Batista2

1 Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Para- sitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain
2Pharmaceutical Care Group del Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
*Corresponding Author: Carmen Rubio Armendáriz, Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna and Pharmaceutical Care Group del Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
Received: June 07, 2017; Published: November 01, 2017



Introduction: This study was an analysis of the use of Levonorgestrel (LNG) as emergency contraception (EC) in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Methods: A total of 144 women users of EC were interviewed in 15 pharmacies in order to identify their profile, their knowledge of the LNG and their needs in pharmaceutical care.

Results: 49% of the users were women between 18 and 25 years old, and that 68% of women requesting dispensation of LNG were going to use the drug for the first time. The dispensation for first time use for those under the age of 18 was 80%. In addition, in the case of minors who had previously used EC, two out of every three users said they had used it before between 3 and 6 months prior to the time of this dispensation. It should be noted that 64% of dispensations of the LNG occur in the first 24h after an unprotected sexual intercourse. LNG has been repeatedly used by 16% of the women. In addition, 80% of dispensations are for women using another method of birth control and 24% of them are already being treated with other drugs.

Discussion: The above underlines the need to improve the users’ knowledge of EC with LNG and the need to deliver personalized in- formation about LNG during dispensation at the pharmacy. The safe and effective use of this emergency contraceptive drug should be promoted with health education with the objective of achieving the best possible outcome of this emergency contraception method.

Keywords: Levonorgestrel (LNG); Emergency Contraception (EC); Pharmacy; Pharmaceutical Care; Health Education

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Carmen Rubio Armendáriz., et al. “Levonorgestrel, Emergency Contraception: What the Users Know and Need” ”. EC Pharmacology and Toxicology  5.1 (2017): 03-12.

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