NORIX is an oral emergency contraceptive pill marketed by SMC Enterprise Ltd., a subsidiary of Social Marketing Company.

An emergency contraceptive pill is a post-coital oral pill, which must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse to prevent unplanned pregnancy.

Norix is to be used by women who can potentially conceive but do not want any unplanned pregnancy due to unprotected or forced intercourse.

The first tablet has to be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex – the sooner you take it the more effective it is. The first tablet should be taken not later than 72 hours after intercourse. The second tablet should be taken exactly 12 hours after the first.

Norix contains Progestogen (Levonorgestrel), a hormone which is similar to the natural progesterone women produce in their ovaries. It can stop an egg from being released or, in some cases, prevent a fertilized egg from being implanted into the womb.

It is preferable to take the first pill within 24 hours of sexual intercourse for maximum effectiveness. The sooner you take the first pill (within the specified 72 hours) the more assured you can be. The second tablet should be taken exactly 12 hours after the first.

Normally, a medical checkup is not needed. However, if you are suffering from any pre-existing condition or you are allergic to levonorgestrel, it is advised that you consult your doctor before taking Norix.

No. Medically speaking, once a fertilized egg attached itself to the womb lining, pregnancy has already begun. Abortion pills contain the substance antiprogestin, which halts the development of pregnancy after it has already begun; whereas emergency contraceptives like Norix contain regular female hormones designed to stop pregnancy in the first place. No pregnancy, thus no abortion.

The sooner, the better – Norix is 95% effective within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex, 85% if taken within 25-48 hours, and 58% if taken 49-72 hours after intercourse. However, if your periods are delayed by more than a week even after taking Norix, you should conduct a pregnancy test and consult your doctor.

There are no serious or long term side effects from using the emergency contraceptive pill i.e. it does not do any serious damage on the users health. The hormones in the pill do not build up in the users system at all. However, some women may experience some of these side effects:
- Nausea & dizziness
-Headaches
-Breast tenderness
-Abdominal pain
-Vomiting (in rare cases)
None of these side effects are harmful and will not happen to most women. You should avoid Norix only if you are allergic to the chemical levonorgestrel.

The sooner you take the emergency pill after unprotected sex, the more effective it is. It is advised to take the 1st pill within 24 hours when its effectiveness is at the peak. As more time passes, the effectiveness of the pill slowly wanes. However,
- if you vomit within two hours of taking the pill,
- if you have had unprotected sex at another time either since your last period or since taking the emergency pill,
it is a good idea to consult with a doctor (Blue Star and LARC network).

You should be aware of the following before taking Norix:
- Norix works best when used as early as possible after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, but not later than 72 hours
- It is ineffective if already pregnant
- It is not a substitute for regular birth control methods
- It does not protect against HIV/AIDS or any other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

There is no concrete evidence or symptoms that will immediately indicate whether Norix worked or not. You have to wait until your next menstrual period. If your menstrual period is delayed beyond a week, you should get a pregnancy test and consult your doctor.

No. Norix is not a substitute for regular birth control. As the name suggests, it is to be used only in emergencies after unprotected sex (e.g. contraceptive failure). Do not replace your regular birth control pills with Norix in any circumstance.

While Norix can be used more than once in a cycle, it is recommended that you use it only as an emergency contraceptive.
There are multiple reasons why Norix cannot substitute regular birth control:
- Regular contraceptive methods are much more effective
- Long-term overuse of emergency contraceptives can lead to irregular menstrual cycles.
- Annoying side effects includes nausea and vomiting.
Make sure you continue to use your regular methods of contraception for preventing any unintended pregnancy.

No. Norix is not an “abortion” pill and so will not work if you are already pregnant. However, Norix will not harm you or your growing fetus.

Under these circumstances please consult your doctor immediately.

No. Norix is an emergency solution and not a substitute for your regular birth control methods.

Norix is an emergency contraceptive – it will only work for the current act of unprotected sex. If you are planning to have sex again, you should use regular contraceptive if you don’t want to get pregnant. You should also consult with your doctor.

Your next period should be on time; however it may fluctuate between a few days earlier or later than normal.

No, Norix will not protect you against HIV/AIDS or other STDs. Use condoms to protect against STDs.

Yes. Norix is safe to take even when you are breast-feeding. It is unlikely to have any major effect on milk production or quality, and will not affect the breast-feeding infant.

Please consult your doctor before taking Norix if you have any such pre-existing conditions.

If you happen to vomit within three hours of taking one pill, you should take another one as soon as possible, preferably with anti-emetics (drugs that stop vomiting and nausea). Taking Norix with food will minimize the chances of any vomiting.

If you’re already using a form of birth control, or are switching to a different method, you can start the day after you’ve taken Norix. This is also a good time to consult your doctor and review your birth control methods to find the one that suit your needs.

You can easily get Norix over the counter at your local pharmacy or chemists’ outlet. Doctor’s prescription is not required.