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Post Pill And Postinor2 – What’s the Difference?
December 31, 2022
Post pill and Postinor 2 are both emergency contraceptives (birth control pills).
Are there any similarities between the two? Does one work better or faster than the other? This article explains all you need to know about any differences between Post pill and Postinor 2.
The birth control pill has been around since the 1960s when it was first approved for use in the US.
It was designed to prevent pregnancy by blocking ovulation in women. Today, many different birth control pills are available, with unique side effects.
Emergency Contraception (EC) birth control is quite different from regular birth control pills.
Some EC pills include:
The only non-oral emergency contraception method currently available is the Copper coil (IUD)
Essentially the EC method is taken only occasionally. It is designed as a one-off method when your usual or regular method fails for one reason or another.
These reasons may be:
What about ‘regular’ birth control methods?
These are methods you use daily, weekly or other frequencies – they are taken at regular intervals.
They include pills taken by mouth and other non-oral methods, including devices that go in the arm, womb or injections.
The depo shot (injection) is given every 3 months. On the other hand, other long-acting methods like the implant (placed in the arm) or coil (located in the womb) are changed every 5 or 10 years. These are all regular methods.
Good sexual health means you are looking after yourself by:
Two examples of emergency birth control pills are post pill and postinor2.
Both work primarily by delaying ovulation. Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from one of your ovaries.
They may also work by preventing sperm from reaching an egg, so both types of birth control pills will stop you from getting pregnant.
However, some people prefer one type of birth control pill over another. Here’s how they differ.
Post pill and Postinor2 each contain progesterone. This hormone helps prevent pregnancy by delaying ovulation. It also thickens cervical mucus and makes it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.
Progesterone also thins the lining of the uterus, making it less likely for fertilized eggs to implant.
Thus there are 3 methods by which emergency birth control pills can work, but according to studies, the most reliable one is by delaying ovulation.
Since these pills contain the same hormone, are there any differences in how they work?
Not really.
They will work in the same way as long as you follow the dosing instructions in your pill packet. Don’t forget they are meant to delay ovulation, so taking them after ovulation may mean they are less likely to work.
If you’re looking for a better option to Post pill or Postinor2, you may consider the Ella pill. This is also an emergency birth control method which has similar effects to Progesterone. It is more effective than the first two pills and can be taken for a longer period after unprotected sex than them.
Alternatively, you may consider the copper coil. In fact, some ladies prefer the coil as it is more effective and can be taken within 5 days of having sex, unlike the pills.
In addition, after inserting the coil, you can leave it in place, and it becomes your regular contraceptive method. Remember, the only coil that can work as an emergency birth control method is the Copper coil. The hormone-containing coils (Mirena, Kyleena or Jaydess etc.) cannot do this.
So we know that both birth control pills and postinor2 contain hormones that prevent pregnancy. They prevent ovulation (the release of an egg) and thicken cervical mucus so sperm can’t reach the egg. This prevents fertilization.
However, this effect is only temporary. Later in the cycle, if ovulation was delayed by the pill, your ovary will release the egg. So your fertility remains intact.
Not everyone gets side effects, and they can include:
Some ladies can experience changes to their menstrual cycle after taking emergency birth control pills.
Taking Postinor2 or Post pill can bring your period forward, so it happens earlier than the scheduled date.
Or, they may delay your period so the next period happens after your scheduled date. This can bring some alarm as many women worry about what is responsible for unscheduled bleeding after the pill.
While it is also possible the bleeding may be a side effect of the pill, it may be implantation bleeding if the pill had not worked or you were already pregnant.
Other causes of unplanned bleeding after sex are sexual infection and vaginal dryness – learn more here.
These emergency birth control pills come in different doses sometimes.
That does not make Post pill better or superior to Postinor2 and vice versa.
If you look closely at both medicines, you will find that the recommended dose for each contains the same amount of Progesterone: 1,500 mcg of Levonorgestrel.
This can either come in the form of two tablets or one.
When your pack contains two tablets, you can take both together simultaneously. Or you can take one tablet and the other 12 hours afterwards.
The most important thing to consider in timing is having the full dose as soon as possible after sex and, where possible, before ovulation.
More Reading
References
Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising Medical Practitioners on various healthcare conditions to promote quality healthcare. The advice in our material is not meant to replace a qualified healthcare practitioner’s management of your specific condition.
Please contact a health practitioner to discuss your condition, or reach us directly here.
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