Miranda Hajdini1, Dorina Toci1
1Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.
Emergency contraceptive is referred to the contraception methods during the unprotected sex. According to WHO, the emergency contraceptive protects 95% against the pregnancy and is effective if is administered within the first five days or earlier, after an unprotected sexual intercourse. It does not harm the pregnancy and does not cause abortion. The emergency contraceptive is appropriate for every woman who needs it or is in the conditions of an emergency situation, including cases of sexual abuses or rapes. It should strictly not be used if the first menstruation has not happened yet. There are two emergency contraceptive methods used, pills with Levonorgestrel and Diapositive intrauterine. There is a family planning national program by the Albanian government since 1997, where a broad range of emergency contraceptives are involved. Since 2015, this program is part of the basic package of the primary healthcare in all the country. Actually, nowadays the primary healthcare is provided in 424 family planning centers with a trained personnel. Ministry of Health and Social Protection has proposed to the national strategy (2017-2021) of the contraceptive supply, that the emergency contraceptive will be part of the methods that are offered free of charge for the people in Albania. The emergency contraceptive has been procured in 2018, and was available in every healthcare center in 2019 with the name REVOKE levonorgestrel 1.5 mg. It is recommended that the emergency contraceptive should be included in a routinely manner in all the national programs of the family planning, and furthermore integrated in the primary healthcare services.
Keywords: emergency contraceptive, primary healthcare, revoke, unprotected sex.