Does levonorgestrel have side effects on baby?

Understanding Levonorgestrel and Its Effects on Infants
Levonorgestrel is a synthetic progestin commonly used in various forms of contraception, including emergency contraceptive pills like Plan B. While its primary function is to prevent pregnancy, concerns often arise regarding its safety, particularly for infants when taken by breastfeeding mothers.
Safety Profile During Breastfeeding
Research indicates that levonorgestrel is generally considered safe for use during breastfeeding. Studies have shown that when levonorgestrel is administered, it is excreted into breast milk, but the levels are low and not expected to cause harm to nursing infants. In fact, there have been no reported adverse effects on infant growth during the first year of life when mothers used levonorgestrel. This suggests that the drug does not significantly impact the health or development of babies when mothers take it as directed.
Potential Side Effects for Mothers
While the focus is often on the effects of levonorgestrel on infants, it is essential to consider the side effects experienced by mothers. Common side effects of levonorgestrel include menstrual irregularities, headaches, nausea, and abdominal pain. These side effects are typically mild and transient, but they can affect a mother’s overall well-being during the postpartum period.
Conclusion
In summary, levonorgestrel appears to have a favorable safety profile for breastfeeding mothers and their infants. The evidence suggests that it does not adversely affect infant growth or health when used appropriately. However, as with any medication, it is crucial for mothers to consult healthcare providers to discuss any concerns and ensure that they are making informed choices regarding their health and the health of their babies.

What are the long-term effects of levonorgestrel?

Conclusions. Long-term use of copper or levonorgestrel IUDs is characterized by very low rates of pregnancy and by a low and declining annual incidence of side effects, including pelvic infection and borderline anemia.

What are the side effects of levonorgestrel in the long term?

The most commonly reported adverse effects are alterations of menstrual bleeding patterns, nausea, abdominal/pelvic pain, headache/migraine, dizziness, fatigue, amenorrhea, ovarian cysts, genital discharge, acne/seborrhea, breast tenderness, and vulvovaginitis.

Can a Plan B pill hurt a baby?

Plan B won’t harm a developing fetus. If Plan B is taken mistakenly during pregnancy, it will not harm the developing fetus. Using Plan B will not affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant in the future. Women can keep pills at home in case of an emergency.

What does levonorgestrel do to the uterus?

Levonorgestrel intrauterine system works by thinning the lining of the uterus (womb) to prevent pregnancy from developing, thickening the mucus at the cervix (entrance to the uterus) to prevent sperm from entering, and preventing sperm from moving and surviving in the uterus.

Can the pill harm an unborn baby?

There is no good evidence that taking an oral contraceptive in early pregnancy will harm your baby. If you find out you are pregnant while taking an oral contraceptive, stop taking it. If you are planning to continue your pregnancy, you can book with a midwife as normal.

Can the morning-after pill affect the fetus?

Emergency contraception (EC), also known as the morning-after pill, will not harm a fetus. Still, women should not use EC when they’re pregnant. EC does not end a pregnancy — it can reduce the risk of pregnancy if started within 120 hours (five days) of unprotected intercourse. The sooner it’s started, the better.

Does levonorgestrel have side effects on fetus?

Furthermore, we observed no differences in terms of preterm delivery, birth weight, mode, or time of delivery or other maternal pregnancy complications. In summary, our data showed that there is no increased risk of congenital anomalies or adverse pregnancy outcomes that is caused by the failure of levonorgestrel.

Can levonorgestrel harm your baby while breastfeeding?

Studies indicate that levonorgestrel does not affect the composition or amount of breastmilk, or the growth and development of the breastfed infant. 6 Levonorgestrel is the same hormone found in the “Mini Pill”, which is considered the oral contraceptive of choice for breastfeeding mothers.

Is levonorgestrel harmful to babies?

In summary, there were no reported side effects in infants exposed to levonorgestrel during breastfeeding and only tran- sient, mild and infrequent side effects in mothers.

Do I have to pump and dump after Plan B?

When used as emergency contraception, levonorgestrel is not expected to be harmful to a child that is breastfeeding. A person who takes levonorgestrel as emergency contraception can breastfeed 3 to 4 hours after the dose (or after each dose if the two-dose method is used).