The Morning After Pill Helped By Arthritis Drug

Taking the over-the-counter contraceptive levonorgestrel with the anti-inflammatory arthritis NSAID drug piroxicam improves the chances of preventing pregnancy by 49%. Hong Kong reproductive investigators report this finding after studying 860 women half of whom received the prescription NSAID piroxicam 40 mg along with the 1.5 mg dose of levonorgestrel within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The control group received a placebo with the levonorgestrel.

At follow up several weeks after the next expected period, the combination therapy prevented 94.7% of expected pregnancies vs. only 63.4% for the control group.

Levonorgestrel is available over-the-counter at most pharmacies and online at amazon.com. Piroxicam is a prescription medication, but it is widely available.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01240-0/fulltext

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