Thaindian News

June 15, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): A British medical journal has revealed that a new morning after pill is actually much more effective than other similar drugs prevalent in the market. The journal went on to stress that the pill not only works better but it also works for a much longer period of 5 days as opposed to the mere 72 hours duration of other emergency contraceptives.

Levonorgestrel, is currently the most popular pill on the market but works only if a woman takes it within 3 days of having unprotected sex. The pill is available across the United States and Canada with large parts of Western Europe having access to the pill as well. The best part of this emergency contraceptive is that it can be obtained over the counter and does not require a medical prescription. The popular pill is known by various names including Plan B.

Scientists involved in medical research compared the new pill, known by its chemical component, ulipristal acetate or ellaOne by which it is sold in the continent of Europe, to the most popular morning after pill. Both the pills were given to a group of sexually active women within the ages 16-34 and the effects tested. Studies revealed that as many as 22 women got pregnant after taking Plan B while the number was much less at 15 with ellaOne. No appreciable side effects except for a mild headache was found to be associated with the drugs.

The manufacturers of the new drug, HRA Pharma, bore the entire cost of the research. The studies further revealed that while Plan B acts directly on the process of ovulation during the early stages, ellaOne simply delays it. This explains how the new morning after pill could work so well even after 72 hours.

However, Dr. Anna Glasier, the leader of the study, said that the new drug needs to be tested and used more extensively before it can be pronounced as completely safe. The drug, currently, is not available over the counter in Europe. EllaOne is also more expensive than Plan B.