According to a survey conducted on 1,600 patients by Mediguard, it has been seen that the age group that uses Levonelle most is people aged between 21 and 39. The General Household survey conducted by the government yielded the following information on Levonelle:
In the age-group 16 and 17,

• 12 % of girls had used this tablet at least once after having sexual intercourse.
• One out of every 50 girls had used this tablet two times.
• One out of every 100 girls had used Levonelle more than twice.

In the age-group 18-19,

• 16 % of girls, or more than one out of six girls, had used this pill once.
• One out of every 25 girls had taken it two times.

The survey also reported that nine out of every ten 16-year-old girls knew of emergency contraception.

Working of Levonelle

The key ingredient of Levonelle is a synthetic second generation progestogen called Levonorgestrel. It is used for preparation of the class of pharmaceuticals known as hormonal contraceptives.

In order to have confidence in the abilities of this pill, you should have a basic knowledge of its working. Levonelle may work in different ways on the basis of the time of your cycle you are in. The following are the various methods in which Levonelle prevents pregnancy:

• Preventing release of eggs from ovary.
• Obstructing the process of fertilization of the eggs that may have been previously released.
• Obstructing a fertilized egg when it tries to attach itself to the lining of the womb.
• Although it works best if taken within 12 hours, it can be taken up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex. The effectiveness of this tablet has been studied for the period of 72 hours and the following observations have been made:
• 95% within 24 hours
• 85% between 24 and 48 hours
• 58% between 48 and 72 hours

For nursing mothers, it is important to know that 0.1% of the administered dose can get transferred through milk to the infant. The effect on the child due to this transfer has not been studied.

Side-Effects of Levonelle

The common fleeting side-effects of this drug are mentioned below.

• Breast tenderness
• Headache
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Fatigue

How to Procure Levonelle

Women over 16 years of age can procure Levoelle from the following sources:

• Registered pharmacies
• Online clinics

If you are under 16 years of age, you should consult your family doctor and parents before you can buy this emergency contraceptive.