Can Emergency Contraceptives be Taken During Lactation?
When entering the lactation period, a woman's ovulation function will recover. If choosing to have sex during this time, it is necessary to take contraceptive measures. The most common contraceptive method is the use of condoms, but many couples may feel uncomfortable and choose to use contraceptive pills. However, since lactation is a very special period, there is concern that contraceptive pills may harm the body. So, can emergency contraceptives be taken during lactation? Let's take a look below.
It is not recommended to take contraceptive pills during lactation, and it is advisable to use condoms for contraception. Emergency contraceptives contain a large amount of hormones, and after taking them, the composition of contraceptives will be present in the milk, which is not beneficial to the baby's health. If a lactating mother does need to take emergency contraceptives, it is recommended to stop breastfeeding for three days. However, during this period, it is advisable to use a breast pump or hand expression to empty the breasts to ensure normal milk secretion. When choosing emergency contraceptives during lactation, it is recommended to choose levonorgestrel-type contraceptives. This type of drug is a single progesterone and does not contain estrogen, so it does not affect milk secretion and will not enter the milk and be absorbed by the child. Breastfeeding can be resumed as usual after taking it. It is important not to choose mifepristone-type contraceptives as they can affect breastfeeding. If mifepristone has already been taken, based on the normal metabolic cycle of human fluids, it is best to avoid breastfeeding for three to five days. Before breastfeeding, it is advisable to express some milk first.
During normal lactation, the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland secretes prolactin, which not only stimulates the breasts to secrete milk but also acts on the pituitary gland to inhibit the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone, preventing the development of ovarian follicles. Therefore, generally, women do not have ovarian ovulation function and do not menstruate for six months to a year after childbirth. However, it is not entirely correct to assume that one cannot become pregnant without menstruation, as some individuals may recover their ovarian function quickly and even begin to ovulate shortly after the puerperium. If contraception is not used during this time and ovulation occurs, it is easy to become pregnant, and menstruation may not occur. This type of pregnancy is sometimes referred to as a "covert pregnancy". Therefore, it is advisable to take contraceptive measures during lactation as usual. Generally, sexual activity can be resumed appropriately two months after natural childbirth and three months after cesarean section under normal conditions. Reliable contraceptive measures should be taken when having sexual activity. Some people believe that the lactation period after childbirth is a "safe period" and that contraceptives are not necessary during sexual activity. This is unscientific. According to surveys and statistics, about one-third of lactating mothers become pregnant before their menstrual cycle returns. This illustrates that the lactation period is not a "safe period," and relying on lactation for contraception is unreliable. If pregnancy occurs, the lactating mother may need to undergo artificial abortion. However, the uterus during this time is thinner, more fragile, and softer, making it easier for the uterus to be perforated and cause heavy bleeding during artificial abortion, which is very detrimental to the mother's health. If a cesarean section mother becomes pregnant, the difficulty of artificial abortion will be greater, and the harm to the body will be greater, which can seriously affect or even block lactation. Currently, the more suitable contraceptive method during lactation is the use of contraceptive devices. Commonly used contraceptive devices include condoms, vaginal diaphragms, and intrauterine devices.
