Effect of levonorgestrel in the ovulation, endometrium, and spermatozoa for emergency oral contraception

Authors

  • Víctor J. Suárez Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú. Médico cirujano. Especialista en Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales. Magister en Salud Pública.
  • Renzo Zavala Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú. Médico cirujano.
  • Juan Manuel Ureta Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú. Médico cirujano. Especialista en Epidemiología de Campo.
  • Gisely Hijar Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú. Biólogo. Magister en Biología Celular y Molecular.
  • Jorge Lucero Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú. Especialista en Epidemiología de Campo. Biólogo. Magister en Salud Pública. Doctor en Salud Publica. Magister (c) en Epidemiología Clínica.
  • Paul Pachas Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú. Médico cirujano. Especialista en Epidemiología de Campo. Magister (c) en Epidemiología Clínica.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2010.272.1468

Keywords:

Postcoital contraception, Levonorgestrel, Endometrium, Ovulation, Spermatozoa

Abstract

There is wide controversy about the mechanism of action of the levonorgestrel used for emergency oral contraception, and many organizations, both scientific as well as from the civil society, show their discrepancy with its use, due to its possible action as an abortion- inducer. In order to evaluate the scientific evidence available on the mechanisms of action of the levonorgestrel used for emergency oral contraception (EOC), a systematic revision was performed in the Medline and Cochrane library databases. We found 444 articles. After reviewing the abstracts, we selected 22 articles, whose complete texts were evaluated. We found that the main mechanism of action of the levonorgestrel, given at the doses recommended for EOC, is the inhibition or retardation of the ovulation, it doesn’t affect the spermatozoa in their migration or egg-penetration capacities. No morphological or molecular alterations in the endometrium that could interfere with the implantation of the fertilized egg have been demonstrated. There is no actual scientific evidence available supporting that the use of levonorgestrel for EOC is abortive.

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Published

2010-06-25

Issue

Section

Review

How to Cite

1.
Suárez VJ, Zavala R, Ureta JM, Hijar G, Lucero J, Pachas P. Effect of levonorgestrel in the ovulation, endometrium, and spermatozoa for emergency oral contraception. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica [Internet]. 2010 Jun. 25 [cited 2024 Dec. 1];27(2). Available from: https://rpmesp.ins.gob.pe/index.php/rpmesp/article/view/1468

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