Honduran women received no written information on contraceptive pill.

Newsletter (Women's Global Network on Reproductive Rights) 1994 Jan-Mar

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In the period 1989-1994, Honduran women participating in the Project Health Sector 2 have been exposed to a contraceptive mini-pill, Ovrette. The Institute of Honduran Social Security (IHSS) approved the program (in which Ovrette distribution is included) in May 1990. The program is partly funded by the Population Council, which is funded by USAID Registry with the Department of Health was not required under the Health Code since Ovrette had entered the country as a donation. In June 1993, a Commission of the Honduran Medical Association reported that the women were not given any written information on the drug. Ovrette is an oral contraceptive manufactured by Wyeth. Its active ingredient is a progestagen, Norgestrel. Contraindications for Ovrette include: non-lactating women who exhibit side-effects such as dizziness, water retention, migraine, etc.; non-lactating women with contraindications for estrogen; lactating women who reject other contraceptive drugs. The US Pharmacopeia and the US Food and Drug Administration do not authorize the drug for use by lactating women. As with other progestagens, Norgestrel passes through to the mother's milk. In 1993, the US Pharmacopeia reported that these hormones can cause harmful effects to the child, and recommended switching medications or discontinuation of lactation. In 1983, the WHO expressed concern about the possibility of injury caused by the progestagens. The possibilities included alterations to personality, behavior, anatomy of sexual organs, reproductive capacity, immunological function and development of neoplasia. Possible damages in puberty or during the reproductive age are not known since there is no study of exposed children that are older than 12 years of age. full text

Citation

Honduran women received no written information on contraceptive pill. Newsletter (Women's Global Network on Reproductive Rights). 1994 Jan-Mar(45):14