Due to its emergency contraceptive effect within 72 hours, Postinor is widely used. However, many patients have suffered consequences from purchasing counterfeit medication.
A Serious Danger
Users have faced the consequence of intending to prevent pregnancy but still ending up pregnant.
The family planning services at the Central Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital are receiving patients who are victims of counterfeit Postinor. Although there are no statistics on the number of women and pregnancies resulting from taking fake Postinor, it is time to raise awareness about the dangers posed by counterfeit contraceptives to users.
Avoid Misusing “Emergency” Contraceptives
Currently, Vietnam ranks third in the world for abortion rates. According to statistics, there are 420,000 cases of abortion annually among adolescents, with 5% of girls giving birth before the age of 18… This alarming statistic has been highlighted for a long time, yet the situation has not improved.
One of the reasons is the misuse of emergency contraceptive Postinor, and the recent prevalence of counterfeit contraceptives is also a contributing factor.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, Director of Tu Du Hospital, has advised women to use daily contraceptive pills to ensure reproductive health. Contraceptive pills do not cause cancer, have few side effects, and women can still conceive normally after stopping the medication.
A doctor in the family planning department at the Central Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital stated: “Abortion should be a last resort. Some women undergo abortions even after taking emergency contraceptive pills, citing that they were embarrassed to buy the medication at pharmacies and only heard the name Postinor for emergency contraception, so they purchased it from random places, ending up with counterfeit or imitation Postinor.”
Postinor should only be used in emergency situations, and it is essential to purchase medications from pharmacies with clear addresses; otherwise, users may find themselves taking contraceptives but still becoming pregnant. And by then, it may be too late.
