Neovlar, available in Taiwan, is an emergency contraceptive, or EC, unavailable in the United States. The ingredients in Neovlar, ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel, are prescribed individually in the U.S. as emergency contraceptives, but their combined use is prohibited. These two prescription female hormones do not allow the egg and sperm to join or implant. Side effects of these ingredients in Neovlar include severe headaches, hallucinations, chest pain and unusual vaginal bleeding, notes Drugs.com.
Excessive Menstrual Bleeding
Ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel may cause excessive vaginal bleeding, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. These ECs may cause serious complications for spontaneous abortion, if the dosage is not taken as prescribed. Excessive menstrual spotting, clotting, or unusually heavy or weak flow are also side effects of Neovlar, notes Drugs.com. Patients with symptoms lasting beyond the course of treatment or excessive bleeding or pain symptoms should seek medical treatment. These female hormones should only be prescribed and administered under physician supervision. Because Neovlar is not available in the United States, it has not been scrutinized or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Allergic and Other Reactions
Allergic reactions to ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel include difficulty breathing and inflammation of the lips tongue, throat or face. Seek immediate medical attention for severe side effects such as shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing up blood and pain, or numbness of the arm or leg. Serious symptoms also include severe pain or tenderness in the stomach, yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, and heavier or longer menstrual bleeding, cites Drugs.com. Ethinyl estradiol, a fertilization-blocking chemical, is a highly effective EC, but patients may suffer from severe nausea and vomiting and disrupted menstrual cycles. Similar reports have been noted for levonorgestrel EC, notes Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, of Scribd.com. Individually these emergency contraceptives have serious side effects, but when used as a combination drug as in Neovlar, it is additionally risky. Neovlar is not approved for use in the United States due to the side effects of the Neovlar ingredients ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel.
Less Severe Side Effects
Less severe side effects include dizziness, weakness or fainting, bruising, and fatigue. The most common side effect, as noted by The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, is disruption or cessation of menstrual bleeding and resulting irregular menses. Breast tenderness and stomach and abdominal cramping during the course of treatment are common side effects of the ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel combination EC. These side effects are normal reactions to the abortive process. If the sperm and egg in fertilization are in the process of adhering to the vaginal walls, abdominal cramping and bleeding occur in the course of ovum elimination.
References
- Drug Information Online: Neovlar Side Effects
- Guttmacher Institute; "International Family Planning Perspectives"; Emergency Contraception: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Brazilian Obstetrician-Gynecologists; Loren Galvão et al.; December 1999
- Scribd: Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology: Oral Contraceptives Marketed in Other Countries
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Information and Knowledge for Optimum Health: Emergency Contraception
- Drug Information Online: Ethinyl Estradiol and Levonorgestrel
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Emergency Contraception
Member Comments