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What is the difference between Mifepristone RU-486 and Levonorgestrel ??
- Thread starter ASLANSPAL
- Start date
No they are not the same.
Mifepristone is used to induce an abortion in pregnant women. It causes an established pregnancy to miscarry.
Levonorgestrel, OTOH, primarily acts to prevent fertilization from taking place at all by blocking the transport of the egg and/or of the sperm. It also affects the lining of the uterus and can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting if the primary method fails. It will not affect an established pregnancy. If you are opposed to the regular birth control pill because it also acts primarily to block fertilization but also acts to prevent implantation and therefore can be considered a form of abortificant, then you should also be opposed to this. If you do not have a problem with the pill then you should not have a problem with this.
Mifepristone is used to induce an abortion in pregnant women. It causes an established pregnancy to miscarry.
http://www.earlyoptions.org/mifepristone.html#mechanism_of_actionMifepristone blocks the progesterone receptor, leading to changes in the endometrial blood supply. In contrast, methotrexate inhibits DNA synthesis and primarily affects rapidly dividing cells. In early pregnancy methotrexate interferes with the process of implantation through its effect on trophoblastic tissue. The net effect of mifepristone and methotrexate — detachment of the trophoblast from the uterine decidua — is the same. Mifepristone also softens the cervix to facilitate expulsion of the pregnancy. The prostaglandin analogue misoprostol accelerates the process of expulsion by stimulating uterine contractions as well as softening the cervix.
Levonorgestrel, OTOH, primarily acts to prevent fertilization from taking place at all by blocking the transport of the egg and/or of the sperm. It also affects the lining of the uterus and can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting if the primary method fails. It will not affect an established pregnancy. If you are opposed to the regular birth control pill because it also acts primarily to block fertilization but also acts to prevent implantation and therefore can be considered a form of abortificant, then you should also be opposed to this. If you do not have a problem with the pill then you should not have a problem with this.
http://www.go2planb.com/section/about/index.html[Levonorgestrel] is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization (by altering tubal transport of sperm and/or ova). In addition, it may inhibit implantation by altering the endometrium. [Levonorgestrel] is not effective if a woman is pregnant. [Levonorgestrel] is a contraceptive and cannot terminate an established pregnancy.
Thanks UTEOTW notice that it is back in the news.
Here is a Q&A I am in favor of drastically reducing abortions and I think Science and Medicine is the answer in helping us do that
but it seems that Plan B has become a political
football. Estimations of the 3 million abortions
Plan B would reduce that by over a million. Seems
like a no brainer to me ..but here is some more
information.
Q&A on the morning-after pill
WASHINGTON (AP) — People waiting for the government to finally make a decision on whether to allow sales of emergency contraception — often called the morning-after pill or Plan B — without a prescription will have to wait a little longer.
The Food and Drug Administration put off a ruling Friday, saying questions remained on how to keep the pill out of the hands of teenagers.
Some questions and answers about emergency contraception:
Q: What is the morning-after pill?
A: It's a high dose of the hormone used in regular birth control pills, to be used as a backup contraceptive after rape, a broken condom or unprotected sex. The brand name now sold by prescription in the United States is Plan B.
Q: How is it used?
A: Plan B consists of two pills. The first one is taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, although the sooner it's taken, the better it works. The second pill is taken 12 hours after the first.
Q: Why can Plan B work so long after sex?
A: Sperm can live in a woman's reproductive tract for several days. If she happens to ovulate while the sperm are still viable, she could become pregnant.
Q: How effective is it?
A: It cuts the chance of pregnancy by up to 89% if taken in the first three days after sex. There is some research suggesting it may work within five days, but the FDA hasn't approved that claim.
Q: How does the morning-after pill work?
A: Plan B's hormone, called levonorgestrel, prevents ovulation. If ovulation already has occurred, it prevents fertilization of the egg. It also may prevent the egg from implanting into the uterus, the medical definition of pregnancy, although recent research suggests that's not likely.
Q: Is it safe?
A: The FDA says the quick-ending hormone dose doesn't cause serious problems like blood clots that longtime use of regular hormonal contraception sometimes does. The main side effect is nausea; Anyone who vomits within an hour of taking either Plan B tablet is instructed to check with her doctor to see if she needs a repeat dose.
Q: What if a woman who is already pregnant takes it?
A: The morning-after pill won't have any effect; it cannot terminate a pregnancy.
Q: Could it be used as regular contraception?
A: It's not recommended. Regular birth-control pills are more effective at preventing pregnancy -- 99%. Also, it does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Also, each one-time dose of Plan B costs about as much as a whole month's supply of regular birth-control pills, $20 to $30.
Q: What other types of emergency contraception exist?
A: Plan B is the only one specifically marketed as an emergency contraceptive in the United States, but competitors are sold abroad. For years before Plan B hit the market in the U.S., some doctors advised women to take higher-than-normal doses of regular birth-control pills to get the same effect. A contraceptive device, the copper-T IUD, also can work as emergency contraception.
As a disclaimer I do not agree with all the
prescribed methods but Plan B imho does not
seem to be an Abortificant.
Here is a Q&A I am in favor of drastically reducing abortions and I think Science and Medicine is the answer in helping us do that
but it seems that Plan B has become a political
football. Estimations of the 3 million abortions
Plan B would reduce that by over a million. Seems
like a no brainer to me ..but here is some more
information.
Q&A on the morning-after pill
WASHINGTON (AP) — People waiting for the government to finally make a decision on whether to allow sales of emergency contraception — often called the morning-after pill or Plan B — without a prescription will have to wait a little longer.
The Food and Drug Administration put off a ruling Friday, saying questions remained on how to keep the pill out of the hands of teenagers.
Some questions and answers about emergency contraception:
Q: What is the morning-after pill?
A: It's a high dose of the hormone used in regular birth control pills, to be used as a backup contraceptive after rape, a broken condom or unprotected sex. The brand name now sold by prescription in the United States is Plan B.
Q: How is it used?
A: Plan B consists of two pills. The first one is taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, although the sooner it's taken, the better it works. The second pill is taken 12 hours after the first.
Q: Why can Plan B work so long after sex?
A: Sperm can live in a woman's reproductive tract for several days. If she happens to ovulate while the sperm are still viable, she could become pregnant.
Q: How effective is it?
A: It cuts the chance of pregnancy by up to 89% if taken in the first three days after sex. There is some research suggesting it may work within five days, but the FDA hasn't approved that claim.
Q: How does the morning-after pill work?
A: Plan B's hormone, called levonorgestrel, prevents ovulation. If ovulation already has occurred, it prevents fertilization of the egg. It also may prevent the egg from implanting into the uterus, the medical definition of pregnancy, although recent research suggests that's not likely.
Q: Is it safe?
A: The FDA says the quick-ending hormone dose doesn't cause serious problems like blood clots that longtime use of regular hormonal contraception sometimes does. The main side effect is nausea; Anyone who vomits within an hour of taking either Plan B tablet is instructed to check with her doctor to see if she needs a repeat dose.
Q: What if a woman who is already pregnant takes it?
A: The morning-after pill won't have any effect; it cannot terminate a pregnancy.
Q: Could it be used as regular contraception?
A: It's not recommended. Regular birth-control pills are more effective at preventing pregnancy -- 99%. Also, it does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Also, each one-time dose of Plan B costs about as much as a whole month's supply of regular birth-control pills, $20 to $30.
Q: What other types of emergency contraception exist?
A: Plan B is the only one specifically marketed as an emergency contraceptive in the United States, but competitors are sold abroad. For years before Plan B hit the market in the U.S., some doctors advised women to take higher-than-normal doses of regular birth-control pills to get the same effect. A contraceptive device, the copper-T IUD, also can work as emergency contraception.
As a disclaimer I do not agree with all the
prescribed methods but Plan B imho does not
seem to be an Abortificant.