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Therapeutic action
- Hormonal contraceptive, progesterone receptor modulator with agonist/antagonist effects
Indications
- Emergency contraception after unprotected or inadequately protected intercourse (e.g. forgotten pill or condom breaking)
Forms and strengths
- 30 mg tablet
Dosage and duration
- One 30 mg tablet, whatever the day of the cycle, as soon as possible after unprotected or inadequately protected intercourse and preferably within the first 120 hours (5 days)
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- May cause: headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, disturbance of next menstrual cycle.
- Re-administer treatment immediately if vomiting occurs within 3 hours of taking treatment.
- Use with caution in patients taking drugs that might decrease ulipristal effectiveness:
- omeprazole and antacids containing aluminium or magnesium hydroxide;
- enzyme-inducing drugs: rifampicin, rifabutine, efavirenz, nevirapine, lopinavir, ritonavir, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, griseofulvin, etc.
- Avoid combination with hormonal contraceptives: decreased effectiveness of ulipristal and of the hormonal contraceptive if taken immediately after the administration of ulipristal.
- Pregnancy: in the event of treatment failure (i.e. pregnancy develops) or if used during an undiagnosed pregnancy, there is no known harm for the foetus.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks
- Emergency contraception is intended to prevent pregnancy; it cannot terminate an ongoing pregnancy.
- If an oral contraceptive pill is missed, use preferably levonorgestrel or a copper intrauterine device as emergency contraception (fewer drug interactions).
- Start or resume hormonal contraception the 6th day after the administration of ulipristal. Use condoms for:
- the first 7 days of taking an oral oestroprogestogen pill or an injection of medroxyprogesterone or the insertion of an implant;
- the first 2 days of taking an oral progestogen only pill.
- There is a risk of treatment failure; carry out a pregnancy test if signs or symptoms of pregnancy (no menstruation, etc.) appear one month after taking ulipristal.
Storage
– Below 25 °C