Can Andrews Liver Salt Prevent Pregnancy

Andrews Liver Salts is a brand of Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid and Magnesium Sulphate some girls use to prevent pregnancy. Andrews acts effectively as an antacid and laxative to relieve you of heartburn, indigestion and constipation symptoms. It comes in two different flavours: Orange and Lemon. It is made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Andrew liver salt

Content Of Andrews Liver Salt

Each 5 g sachet contains;

Sodium bicarbonate 2.0 g

Citric acid anhydrous 1.866 g

Magnesium sulfate dihydrate 0.873 g

Excipients to 5 g

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The sodium bicarbonate and citric acid anhydrous are antacid and the magnesium sulphate has the laxative effect. The antacid neutralise stomach acid and the laxative absorb water into stool and makes it soft.

Use Of Andrews Liver Salt

1. Sour taste in the mouth

2. Burning sensation in the throat

3. Burning sensation in the chest

4. Burning sensation in the stomach

5. Epigastric (upper abdomen) discomfort

6. Postprandial epigastric heaviness or fullness

Andrew liver salt lemon quickly settles the stomach, relieve heartburn, biliousness and acid indigestion.

How To Use Andrew Liver Salt Prevent Pregnancy

There is a growing trend in Nigeria whereby pregnant women douche their vagina with a solution of andrew liver salt. They often do this immediately after sex with the hope that it will flush out sperm.

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Can Andrews Liver Salt Prevent Pregnancy

Drinking solution of andrew liver salt cannot prevent pregnancy. Be it immediately after sex, days or weeks after getting pregnant. Douching immediately after sex may only kill some of the sperm that are still in the vagina. However, sperm swim so fast that they can pass through the cervix away from any solution you are douching with. Andrew liver salt was not designed to prevent pregnancy.

Can Andrews Liver Salt Abort Early Pregnancy

Before we answer that question, it should be know that Andrew liver salt is safe to use in pregnancy. That means it is not contraindicated in pregnancy. So, taking the drug at the recommended dosage won't harm the unborn baby. However, the effect of an overdosage cannot be estimated or quantified by anyone.

Animal studies do not indicate direct or indirect harmful effects with respect to pregnancy, embryonal/foetal development, parturition or postnatal development.

With this, it is clear that drinking or douching with andrew liver salt even if the pregnancy is 12 weeks old will not abort the pregnancy. Andrew liver salt is not an abortifacient.