Is it normal to delay menstruation after taking emergency contraceptive pills?

Pregnancy and childbirth are one of the major life events that every normal couple needs to accomplish. However, there are also many friends who do not want to get pregnant and inevitably face the trouble of contraceptive failure. In this case, emergency contraceptive pills become a life-saving straw for these people. However, emergency contraceptive pills have serious side effects and can have profound effects on the body. So is it normal to delay menstruation after taking emergency contraceptive pills? Let’s take a look.

Endocrine disorders after long-term use of contraceptives can also cause delayed menstruation. Doctors also found, based on patient feedback, that a new generation of gastrokinetic drug, metoclopramide, also known as domperidone, may also cause this condition. Since metoclopramide does not easily cross the blood-brain barrier, it is believed that it has no inhibitory effect on central dopamine receptors. Central dopamine receptors are inhibited, resulting in a decrease in the amount of hypothalamic release factors entering the anterior pituitary. As a result, the anterior pituitary secretes less gonadotropin and corticotropin, leading to amenorrhea and delayed ovulation.

It is not recommended to take emergency contraceptive pills unless it is absolutely necessary, as they have more side effects than regular contraceptive pills. Common side effects include nausea, dizziness, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain, breast engorgement and irregular vaginal bleeding, which will improve naturally after stopping the medication. If used frequently and repeatedly, it can easily cause endocrine disorders, irregular menstrual cycles, and even ectopic pregnancy.

Bleeding after taking emergency contraceptive pills is clinically called withdrawal bleeding, but in fact this bleeding is not menstruation. If taken in the first half of the menstrual cycle, it may cause greater interference with menstruation and vaginal bleeding may occur easily; if taken in the second half of the menstrual cycle, the interference with menstruation will be relatively small. If the amount of bleeding is similar to normal menstrual flow, you can treat it as a menstrual period and take regular contraceptive methods immediately after the bleeding stops. If the amount of bleeding is small, no treatment is needed, but you still need to pay attention to contraception until the next menstrual period.

Through the above introduction, I believe many friends have already known that it is indeed possible that menstruation may be delayed after taking emergency contraceptive pills. Therefore, emergency contraceptive pills are only suitable as a remedial measure when contraception fails, and cannot be taken long-term as a regular contraceptive method for women, otherwise it may affect future fertility.