I-Pill – Emergency Contraceptive Pill

i-pill, launched by Cipla in August 2007; and a leader in the Emergency Contraceptive pills category is a ‘Ray of Hope’ for all those women who’ve had unprotected sex, but do not wish to conceive and go through the trauma of abortion.

According to estimated figures, every year there are 5 million unsafe abortions, and 78% of pregnancies are unexpected.

It is heard that abortion (both oral and surgical) can cause grave damages to the reproductive system. This can cause various complications like not being able to conceive again, frequent miscarriage, premature delivery, etc. Surgical abortion can also cause bladder and bowel injury.

With Cipla i-pill, one can now prevent an unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sex.

How do I use i-pill?

i-pill is an oral tablet. It should be swallowed with some water within 72 hours of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. It is available at chemists over the counter (OTC) without any prescription.

The sooner i-pill is taken, the better the results. I-pill is 95% effective within 24 hours of unprotected sex, 85% between 25 - 48 hours and 58% if taken between 49 - 72 hours.

It is advisable to take i-pill after meals to prevent vomiting. If you vomit within three hours of taking i-pill, you should take another i-pill as soon as possible.

i-pill should not be used if you are already pregnant because it is only a backup or emergency method of contraception. It is not as effective as other regular birth control methods.

How does i-pill work?

i-pill works in three different ways: it prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg, may prevent the sperm from fertilizing the egg, and may prevent the fertilized egg from being implanted on the uterine wall. Pregnancy is established only after the fertilized egg attaches itself to the womb. This process can take 2 to 4 days. One needs to act within this time frame to avoid the risk of pregnancy.

If i-pill is consumed post establishment of pregnancy, it will have no effect.

It should be understood that i-pill does not offer protection from any sexually transmitted disease. It is a common misconception that i-pill is a birth control pill; rather, it is an emergency contraceptive pill.

Does i-pill have any side effects?

i-pill has no long-term or serious side effects, and is safe to use for almost every woman.

Nausea, vomiting, lower abdominal pain, a feeling of breast tenderness and headache are some common side effects after taking i-pill. All this should stop within a day or two. There are chances of unexpected vaginal bleeding, but this is not dangerous and should clear up by the time of the next period. i-pill might also cause the next period to come early or later than normal. But if the periods are delayed by more than a week, it is recommended to go in for a pregnancy test. i-pill will have no lasting effect that may complicate future (and wanted) pregnancies.

Cipla stresses very strongly on the point that i-pill is not a regular birth control pill, but an emergency contraceptive pill which should only be used in an emergency.