Formulated and sold by Piramal Healthcare, I-pill is an emergency contraceptive pill. It works as an oral contraceptive and was launched in 2007 to prevent women against unplanned pregnancy after unprotected intercourse.
| Nature | Emergency contraceptive |
| Composition | Levonorgestrel (synthetic progesterone) |
| Uses | Prevents unwanted pregnancy |
| Side-effects | allergies, irregular menstrual cycle, unexpected vaginal bleeding, skin rashes |
| Precautions | porphyria, arterial disease, breast cancer, liver problem |
Uses and Benifits of I-Pill:
I-Pill is primarily a contraceptive method used for preventing unwanted pregnancy:
- It is used when other contraceptive methods have failed
- It helps in avoiding pregnancy for up to three years
- It also reduces or stops the changes of menopause
Remember, this birth control control pill is not effective against sexually transmitted diseases (STD) including syphilis and HIV/AIDS .
Side Effects of I-Pill:
I-Pill is a hormonal contraceptive and has a lot of contraindications and thus should be consumed with caution:
- The active ingredient of this pill is Levonorgestrel which may cause allergies in women
- It may cause irregularities in menstrual period
- It may cause irregular or unexpected vaginal bleeding or discharge
- It may cause physical discomfort such as exhaustion, dizziness, tenderness in breasts or nausea
- It may affect your libido negatively
- It may cause skin rashes
- It may also react badly with other medication
Long-term use of this tablet is definitely not allowed as it can cause ovarian damage.
Common Dosage of I-Pill:
The recommended dosage is 1 tablet of I-Pill within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
It is not recommended for women below 25 years of age or above the age of 45. This medicine will not be effective in case of teenagers. Teenagers must and should use other contraceptive methods.
Composition and Nature of I-Pill:
I-pill is a contraceptive remedy with Levonorgestrel as its active ingredient. This birth control pill is consumed orally and is intended to be used only in an emergency. This emergency contraception pill stops the process of ovulation by tricking the body to think that the egg has discharged.
However, a person must know that medicine is not an abortion procedure and will not work once a female is pregnant and may cause severe complications if consumed. It is recommended to be consumed within 72 hours of engaging in unprotected sex.
This emergency contraceptive pill is recommended only for women between the ages of 25 to 45 and is not recommended to be administered by teenagers.
Precautions and Warning – When to Avoid I-Pill?
There are a number of precautions that people should take into account when it comes to using the I-Pill:
- As a hormonal contraceptive, it can affect the physical health of the individual consuming this medicine.
- It is not meant for long-term use and may cause physical damage such as difficulty in conceiving in the foreseeable future.
- They are not a preventive measure against STDs.
- I-Pill is not recommended for use in teenagers.
- Those suffering from liver disease, arterial disease, a history of breast cancer, adenoma, and hepatic impairment should not use the I-Pill.
- Females allergic to levonorgestrel must avoid the use of I-pill.
- It cannot be used as a regular birth control method, therefore must not be consumed very frequently.
- This medicine will not be effective if the female is already pregnant.
- This birth control pill should be avoided if a female already suffers from a tendency of tubal pregnancy.
- The medicine must not be consumed by diabetic patients.
- Patients with a history of unusual bleeding from the vagina must avoid the consumption of I-pill.
- This tablet must not be administered if the patient has a history of breast cancer.
- I-pill must not be administered if the patient is suffering from heart-related ailments.
- It must not be used by patients having bleeding or a clotting disorder.
- I-Pill should not be administered by patients suffering from Porphyria (a genetic disorder of the blood and lymphatic system).
- It should not be consumed by girls under the age of seventeen years.
- This medicine should not be administered as a means to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
- I-Pill should not be administered by the patients having liver problems.
- It may interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland and give false values in the tests pertaining to thyroid hormones. The patients must inform the doctor about the use of this tablet before undergoing a thyroid test.
Substitutes of I-Pill Tablet:
Other emergency contraceptives that are available in the market are:
- Unwanted 72: Unwanted 72 is a medicine manufactured by Mankind Pharmaceuticals that is similar to I-Pill. However, it does not use oestrogen which reduces the likelihood of gastrointestinal trouble. It is most popular and widely available after this pill and works similarly. Take a single 1.5mg pill within 3 days of intercourse.
- Preventol: Preventol is manufactured by Hill Life Care Ltd. Unlike the previous two, Preventol requires two doses. One pill is to be taken within 72 hours of intercourse and the second should be consumed 12 hours after the first. A single pill will not be effective. While it is very effective and cheap, two dose pills is one of the reasons for its relatively less popularity.
- Truston 2: Manufactured by V Care Pharma Ltd., this is also a two-pill contraceptive remedy. This is due to the fact that the first pill needs to be consumed within 24 hours of intercourse, with efficacy reduced shortly after. The second pill is to be taken 12 hours after the first.
I-Pill Tablet Interactions with Other Drugs:
I-Pill may interact with a long list of herbal supplements or other drugs. Before consuming this emergency contraception pill, consult and inform your doctor about the medicines already being consumed. If you frequently drink herbal teas or Ayurvedic supplements, check the ingredients to ensure that there are no elements that can cause interactions with this tablet.
Interaction with medicines –
This emergency contraception pill may interact with the following medicines –
Warfarin – It is an anticoagulant i.e. it prevents the formation of blood clots. When this medicine is consumed along with I-pill containing levonorgestrel its efficacy to prevent blood clots is reduced.
Abatacept – If a patient has been consuming Abatacept and takes i-pill, this emergency contraception pill may not be able to function properly and get metabolized at a faster rate.
Abciximab – It is an anticoagulant i.e. it prevents the formation of blood clots. When this medicine is consumed along with I-pill containing levonorgestrel its efficacy to prevent blood clots is reduced.
Aldosterone – The level of aldosterone may increase in the blood with consumption of levonorgestrel.
Bexarotene – Levonorgestrel may decrease the anticoagulant activity of Betrixaban.
Chlorphenamine – The rate at which Chlorphenamine is metabolized by the body may decrease when the medicine is consumed along with Levonorgestrel.
Other medicines with which I-pill may interact –
- Topiramate
- Barbiturates
- Bosentan
- Carbamazepine
- Phenytoin
- Felbamate
- Rifampin
- Griseofulvin
- Oxcarbazepine
Variants of I-Pill:
Following are the variants of this medicine –
- I-pill female condoms
I-Pill Tablet Price in India:
| Quantity | Manufacturer | Price |
| 1 tablet | Piramal Healthcare Limited | INR 110 |
How I-Pill Tablet Works?
Levonorgestrel is a synthetic form of the naturally occurring female sex hormone called progesterone. In a normal menstrual period, the matured egg is released from the ovaries; this process is termed as ovulation. The ovaries then produce progesterone to prevent the release of further eggs and prepare the womb for a possible pregnancy.
If fertilization occurs, the levels of progesterone in the body remain high and maintain the lining of the womb. If pregnancy does not occur, the levels of progesterone in the body fall resulting in menstrual periods. However, after consuming I-pill the body is tricked into thinking that the egg has been released preventing the release of the egg and thus preventing fertilization.
How to use I-Pill?
I-Pill has to be consumed orally within 72 hours of engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse.
Medicines that should not be taken with I-pill:
Consumption of the following medicines must be avoided with I-pill –
- Topiramate
- Barbiturates
- Bosentan
- Carbamazepine
- Phenytoin
- Felbamate
- Rifampin
- Griseofulvin
How to store I-Pill?
This tablet must be stored at room temperature, away from direct heat and sunlight. I-Pill should be kept away from the reach of children and pets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1) Will I-Pill cause harm while I am breastfeeding?
Ans: Lactating and breastfeeding mothers can safely use I-Pill as the breast milk is unlikely to be affected.
2) How often can I use this medicine?
Ans: It is not advisable to use I-Pill frequently, but it is possible to take it more than once in a month if required. For regular use barrier methods are indicated as the safest bet.
3) What is the likelihood of occurrence of side effects of consuming I-Pill?
Ans: As this is a hormonal intervention, most women face at least some side-effects but are rarely very serious.
4) Should I take a pregnancy test if I have already taken the I-Pill?
Ans: The effectiveness of I-Pill is between 80 to 90% if taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. There is always a chance of failure and if your periods are more than a week late then a pregnancy test will let you know whether you are pregnant or not.
5) How should one consume I-Pill?
Ans: I-Pill should be taken orally with water. If a person vomits after consumption of the pill, the tablet must be taken again after 30 minutes.
6) Can I take the pill more than once in the same cycle?
Ans: A single dose of I-pill (emergency contraceptive pill) is enough to protect you against two episodes of unprotected sex if the time interval between them is not more than 12 hours. Beyond that, the pill does not provide protection against unprotected sex in the same cycle. Therefore, the dose must be repeated.
7) What is emergency contraception?
Ans: Emergency contraception refers to medicines that are used to prevent unwanted pregnancy due to unprotected sex. However, it should be remembered that emergency contraceptive pills are to be consumed only if there is an emergency such as rupture of the condom, missed birth control pill, unplanned unprotected sex etc. The pill must not be consumed regularly to avoid pregnancy.
