Next Choice
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Next Choice
Next Choice Side Effects Center
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Next ChoiceTM is a progestin-only emergency contraceptive indicated for prevention of pregnancy following unprotected intercourse or a known or suspected contraceptive failure. To obtain optimal efficacy, the first tablet should be taken as soon as possible within 72 hours of intercourse. The second tablet should be taken 12 hours later. Next ChoiceTM is available only by prescription for women younger than age 17 years, and available over the counter for women 17 years and older. Next ChoiceTM is not indicated for routine use as a contraceptive. Next ChoiceTM does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The most common adverse events reported with Next ChoiceTM included menstrual changes, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, dizziness, and breast tenderness. Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of progestin-only pills include certain medications for seizure, pain, migraine headaches, and schizophrenia.
Next ChoiceTM is not effective in terminating an existing pregnancy. Many studies have found no harmful effects on fetal development associated with long-term use of contraceptive doses of oral progestins such as Next ChoiceTM. Isolated post-marketing cases of decreased milk production have been reported. Small amounts of progestins pass into the breast milk of nursing mothers taking progestin-only pills for long-term contraception.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is Patient Information in Detail?
Easy-to-read and understand detailed drug information and pill images for the patient or caregiver from Cerner Multum.
Next Choice in Detail - Patient Information: Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have severe pain in your lower stomach or side. This could be a sign of a tubal pregnancy (a pregnancy that implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus). A tubal pregnancy is a medical emergency.
Less serious side effects may include:
- nausea, diarrhea, or stomach pain;
- dizziness, tired feeling;
- breast pain or tenderness;
- changes in your menstrual periods; or
- headache.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Next Choice (Levonorgestrel Tablets) »
What is Prescribing information?
The FDA package insert formatted in easy-to-find categories for health professionals and clinicians.
Next Choice FDA Prescribing Information: Side Effects
(Adverse Reactions)
SIDE EFFECTS
Clinical Trial Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.
A double-blind, controlled clinical trial in 1,955 evaluable women compared the efficacy and safety of levonorgestrel tablets (one 0.75 mg tablet of levonorgestrel taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, and one tablet taken 12 hours later) to the Yuzpe regimen (two tablets each containing 0.25 mg levonorgestrel and 0.05 mg ethinyl estradiol, taken within 72 hours of intercourse, and two tablets taken 12 hours later).
The most common adverse events ( > 10%) in the clinical trial for women receiving levonorgestrel tablets included menstrual changes (26%), nausea (23%), abdominal pain (18%), fatigue (17%), headache (17%), dizziness (11%), and breast tenderness (11%). Table 1 lists those adverse events that were reported in ≥ 5% of levonorgestrel tablets users.
Table 1: Adverse Events in ≥ 5% of Women, by % Frequency
| Most Common Adverse Events | Levonorgestrel N=977 (%) |
| Nausea | 23.1 |
| Abdominal Pain | 17.6 |
| Fatigue | 16.9 |
| Headache | 16.8 |
| Heavier Menstrual Bleeding | 13.8 |
| Lighter Menstrual Bleeding | 12.5 |
| Dizziness | 11.2 |
| Breast Tenderness | 10.7 |
| Other complaints | 9.7 |
| Vomiting | 5.6 |
| Diarrhea | 5.0 |
Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of Next Choice™. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Abdominal Pain, Nausea, Vomiting
General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions
Fatigue
Nervous System Disorders
Dizziness, Headache
Reproductive System and Breast Disorders
Dysmenorrhea, Irregular Menstruation, Oligomenorrhea, Pelvic Pain
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Next Choice (Levonorgestrel Tablets) »
Additional Next Choice Information
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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