Levonorgestrel como anticonceptivo de emergencia en la prevención de embarazos no deseados en adolescentes

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: The teenage pregnancy rate according to the World Health Organization, in the world it is estimated that for every 1,000 adolescents there are 46 births, while in Latin America and the Caribbean for every 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19 there are an estimated 66. 5 births; About 95% of these pregnancies can be prevented with emergency contraception. Levonorgestrel, a synthetic progestogen that is available as an emergency pill, acts by preventing ovulation and also intervenes in the thickening of cervical mucus, hindering the passage of sperm. Objective: to describe levonorgestrel as an emergency contraceptive in adolescents through a literature review for the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. Methodology: a descriptive study is carried out in the following databases PubMed, Google Scholar, Redalyc; using key words, health descriptors such as “emergency contraception”, “teenage pregnancy”, “unwanted pregnancy”, “levonorgestrel”, “from the last 5 years; preferably meta-analysis, analysis, case studies and systematic reviews in Spanish and English, choosing approximately 40 articles based on the proposed topic. Conclusion: Emergency contraception such as levonorgestrel plays an important role in preventing unwanted pregnancies. It has become the most widely used contraceptive method in adolescents due to its high effectiveness in preventing unwanted pregnancies; emphasizing that it is not a routine method and that adolescents must receive sufficient information to avoid problems in sexual and reproductive health.