'It is safe to consume these pills once a month, but taking four-five times could be dangerous,' she added.

Doctors at the Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Medical University say regular use of these pills was an irresponsible approach to avoid pregnancy.

'Any invention could only be profitable for humans if it is used responsibly,' said Neha Tiwari, a doctor at the medical school.

'Sexually active couples and teenagers are gradually making the emergency pills a part of their life which is wrong. This is a very irresponsible way to avoid pregnancy and steps should be taken to spread awareness among the masses,' Tiwari told IANS.

Others said rampant over-the-counter sale of the pills had to be checked.

'Earlier, teenagers and unmarried couples had some fear about sex. But over-the-counter sales of such pills will surely increase the tendency to have sex before marriage. This should be sold only after a proper prescription by a doctor,' said Anil Nishchal, a psychiatrist at the same university.

(Rajat Rai can be contacted at rajat.r@ians.in)