The emergency contraceptive, known as the “morning after pill,” would be available at the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) within a month.
This was announced by Maryorie Obando, oncologist at the Caja, who explained that they are doing evaluations to change the method, since for years the “Yuzpe” has been used.
The Yuzpe method consists in the supply of several doses of contraceptive medications. The woman should take a first dose of four pills of Microgynon, Nordette or Norgylen and twelve hours later she should take four more pills. Or she can take two pills of Ovral or Norgyl and twelve hours after that first dose you should take two more pills.
It is simple, economical and accessible (the Yuzpe method), however, as there is no presentation as such, doctors must prepare it for each case,”
said Dr. Gloria Terwes, coordinator of the CCSS HIV standardization program, in April.
[RAU]
On April 25th, 2019, the Ministry of Health approved the sanitary registration of the Levonorgestrel tablet and shortly after it was put up for sale in pharmacies (without a prescription).
Levonorgestrel is a hormone that can be used as an emergency contraceptive but should not be used as a method of birth control , that is, it is not used daily.
This hormone prevents pregnancy after the woman has had unprotected sex, the condom has failed or she has been a victim of rape. Although it is called the morning after pill, the truth is that you should not wait for the day after sexual intercourse but that the pill should be taken as soon as possible (the sooner, the better).
If the pill contains 1.5 grams of levonorgestrel, only one pill should be taken after sexual intercourse.
Levonorgestrel is not an abortion pill like RU-486. Levonorgestrel does not cause loss or abortion once the egg has been fertilized. This means that the pill will not work if the woman is already pregnant.