Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Emergency Contraception as a Back up of Lactational Amenorrhea Method of Contraception
Brief Summary:
Prolonged breast-feeding is an encouraged tradition in Egypt. Breastfeeding is associated with variable degrees of amenorrhea and infertility but there is a risk of resumption of fertility and therefore, of conception during lactation. A consensus statement formalized the lactational amenorrhea method of contraception (LAM), which has subsequently been included in the family planning programs in some developing countries. It has proved to be effective with cumulative pregnancy rates ranging from only 0.9% to 1.2%. However, if any of the prerequisites of LAM expire at any time, the contraceptive efficacy will be much reduced.
The expiry of LAM requirements can occur unexpectedly at a time the woman is not ready to visit a clinic to initiate another contraceptive. Pregnancy during breast-feeding may result in mistimed, unplanned and sometimes unwanted childbirth. A study done in Egypt has shown that one in 4 of pregnancies during lactation were unplanned Such pregnancies, in addition to their negative social impact may lead some women to seek induced abortion; a procedure which, in settings (like Egypt) where abortion is illegal (except on very restricted grounds), is often unsafe.
Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg EC pills has been used for long time and proved to decrease the incidence of pregnancy by 75-85% in each act of unprotected sexual intercourse. Its safety has been documented. It can be used safely during lactation and has been classified by the WHO medical eligibility criteria for contraception as category-1 for lactating mother. Even if take early in pregnancy it is not abortifacient and does not by any mean affect the continuation of pregnancy or cause any side effects to the growing baby (WHO category 1).
The present study tries to estimate the efficacy of in advance provi