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How Do You Know That the Morning After Pill Has Worked?

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Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy subsequently unprotected sex or if the contraception you take used has failed – for example, a condom has split or you have missed a pill.

There are 2 types of emergency contraception:

  • the emergency contraceptive pill – Levonelle or ellaOne (the "morning after" pill)
  • the intrauterine device (IUD or coil)
Emergency contraception

At a glance: facts most emergency contraception

  • Y'all demand to take the emergency contraceptive pill inside 3 days (Levonelle) or 5 days (ellaOne) of unprotected sexual practice for it to be effective – the sooner you accept it, the more effective it'll be.
  • The IUD can be fitted upwardly to five days after unprotected sex, or upwards to five days after the earliest time you could accept ovulated, for it to be effective.
  • The IUD is more effective than the contraceptive pill at preventing pregnancy – less than one% of women who use the IUD go pregnant.
  • Taking the emergency contraceptive pills Levonelle or ellaOne tin give you lot a headache or tummy pain and make you feel or be ill.
  • The emergency contraceptive pill can make your next period earlier, later on or more painful than usual.
  • If y'all're sick (vomit) within 2 hours of taking Levonelle or three hours of taking ellaOne, go to your GP, pharmacist or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, every bit you'll demand to take another dose or have an IUD fitted.
  • If you use the IUD every bit emergency contraception, information technology tin can be left in and used as your regular contraceptive method.
  • If you use the IUD every bit a regular method of contraception, it can brand your periods longer, heavier or more painful.
  • You may feel some discomfort when the IUD is put in, just painkillers can help.
  • There are no serious side furnishings of using emergency contraception.
  • Emergency contraception doesn't cause an abortion.

How the emergency pill works

Levonelle

Levonelle contains levonorgestrel, a constructed (man-made) version of the natural hormone progesterone produced past the ovaries.

Taking it's idea to stop or delay the release of an egg (ovulation).

Levonelle has to be taken inside 72 hours (iii days) of sex to forbid pregnancy. It doesn't interfere with your regular method of contraception.

ellaOne

ellaOne contains ulipristal acetate, which stops progesterone working normally. This likewise works by stopping or delaying the release of an egg.

ellaOne has to exist taken inside 120 hours (5 days) of sex activity to forbid pregnancy.

If you take Levonelle or ellaOne

Levonelle and ellaOne don't continue to protect y'all against pregnancy – if you lot have unprotected sex at whatsoever fourth dimension later taking the emergency pill, you tin can become pregnant.

They aren't intended to be used as a regular form of contraception. Only yous can utilise emergency contraception more than than once in a menstrual cycle if you need to.

Who tin utilise the emergency pill?

Near women can utilise the emergency contraceptive pill. This includes women who tin can't use hormonal contraception, such as the combined pill and contraceptive patch. Girls under 16 years old can also employ information technology.

But you may non be able to accept the emergency contraceptive pill if you're allergic to anything in it, have severe asthma or take any medicines that may interact with it, such as:

  • the herbal medicine St John's Wort
  • some medicines used to treat epilepsy, HIV or tuberculosis (TB)
  • medicine to brand your stomach less acidic, such as omeprazole
  • some less commonly used antibiotics (rifampicin and rifabutin)

ellaOne can't be used if you're already taking 1 of these medicines, as information technology may non piece of work. Levonelle may still exist used, but the dose may need to be increased.

Tell a GP, nurse or pharmacist what medicines you're taking, and they can advise you lot if they're safe to take with the emergency contraceptive pill.

Yous can likewise read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine for more data.

Breastfeeding

Levonelle is safe to take while breastfeeding. Although small amounts of the hormones in the pill may pass into your breast milk, information technology's not thought to be harmful to your baby.

The safety of ellaOne during breastfeeding isn't yet known. The manufacturer recommends that you don't breastfeed for one week after taking this pill.

If you're already using regular contraception

You may need to have the emergency pill if yous:

  • forgot to have some of your regular contraceptive pills
  • didn't utilize your contraceptive patch or vaginal ring correctly
  • were late having your contraceptive implant or contraceptive injection

If you accept taken Levonelle, you should:

  • take your next contraceptive pill, employ a new patch or insert a new ring inside 12 hours of taking the emergency pill
  • go along taking your regular contraceptive pill as normal

Apply additional contraception, such as condoms, for:

  • seven days if you lot utilise the patch, ring, combined pill (except Qlaira), implant or injection
  • nine days for the combined pill Qlaira
  • 2 days if you use the progestogen-but pill

If y'all have taken ellaOne:

  • wait at least v days before taking your side by side contraceptive pill, applying a new patch or inserting a new band

Use additional contraception, such as condoms, until you restart your contraception and for an additional:

  • 7 days if you apply the patch, ring, combined pill (except Qlaira), implant or injection
  • ix days for the combined pill Qlaira
  • two days if yous use the progestogen-simply pill

A GP or nurse tin advise farther on when you tin start taking regular contraception and how long you should use additional contraception.

Side effects of using the emergency pill

There are no serious or long-term side furnishings from taking the emergency contraceptive pill.

But information technology tin cause:

  • headaches
  • tummy pain
  • changes to your adjacent period – it tin can be before, afterwards or more painful than usual
  • feeling or being sick – get medical attention if you lot're sick within 2 hours of taking Levonelle or 3 hours of taking ellaOne, as you'll need to have another dose or take an IUD fitted

Encounter a GP or nurse if your symptoms don't get away after a few days or if:

  • you think y'all might be meaning
  • your adjacent flow is more than vii days late
  • your period is shorter or lighter than usual
  • y'all have sudden pain in your lower tummy – in rare cases, a fertilised egg may have implanted outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy)

Can I get the emergency contraceptive pill in advance?

You lot can get the emergency contraceptive pill in advance of having unprotected sexual practice if:

  • you're worried almost your contraceptive method failing
  • you're going on holiday
  • y'all can't become concur of emergency contraception easily

See a GP or nurse for further advice on getting advance emergency contraception. You lot can too talk to them almost your options for regular methods of contraception.

How the IUD works as emergency contraception

The intrauterine device (IUD) is a small, T-shaped plastic and copper device that's put into your womb (uterus) by a doctor or nurse.

Information technology releases copper to stop the egg implanting in your womb or existence fertilised.

The IUD tin can be inserted up to 5 days later on unprotected sex activity, or upwardly to 5 days after the earliest time you could have ovulated (released an egg), to prevent pregnancy.

You can also choose to have the IUD left in as an ongoing method of contraception.

How effective is the IUD at preventing pregnancy?

The emergency IUD is the most effective method of emergency contraception – less than i% of women who use the IUD get pregnant.

Information technology's more effective than the emergency pill at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex.

Who tin can apply the IUD?

Most women tin utilize an IUD, including those who are HIV positive. A GP or nurse will ask nigh your medical history to check if an IUD is suitable for you.

The IUD might not exist suitable if you have:

  • an untreated sexually transmitted infection (STI) or a pelvic infection
  • issues with your womb or cervix
  • unexplained bleeding between periods or subsequently sex

The emergency IUD won't react with any other medicines you lot're taking.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The IUD shouldn't exist inserted if at that place's a run a risk that you may already be pregnant.

Information technology's safe to apply when you lot're breastfeeding and it won't touch on your milk supply.

Side effects of the IUD

Complications after having an IUD fitted are rare, just can include:

  • pain
  • infection
  • harm to the womb
  • the IUD coming out of your womb
  • heavier, longer or more than painful periods if you continue to apply it as a regular method of contraception

Where can I get emergency contraception?

Getting it for free

Y'all tin go emergency contraception for gratuitous, even if you're nether 16, from these places, but they may not all fit the IUD:

  • contraception clinics
  • sexual health or genitourinary medicine (Mucilage) clinics
  • some GP surgeries
  • some young people's clinics
  • most NHS walk-in centres and pocket-sized injuries units
  • most pharmacies
  • some accident and emergency (A&Eastward) departments (phone first to check)

Find your nearest sexual wellness clinic

Find your nearest chemist's

Buying it

If you're aged 16 or over, you can purchase the emergency contraceptive pill from most pharmacies, in person or online, and from some organisations, such equally the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). The price varies, just information technology will be around £25 to £35.

Getting contraception during coronavirus

If you need emergency contraception, telephone call your GP surgery, a chemist's or a sexual wellness dispensary as soon as possible. Just go in person if asked to.

Yous'll usually have a telephone or video consultation. Yous'll exist given an electronic prescription you can utilize to collect your contraception from a pharmacy or go it delivered.

You can also buy emergency contraception straight from a chemist's shop or individual sexual health clinic without a prescription.

Contraception for the future

If you're not using a regular method of contraception, you might consider doing so to protect yourself from an unintended pregnancy.

There are several methods of contraception that protect you for a long period, so you don't have to think about them once they're in place, or remember to utilise or have them every mean solar day or every time you have sex.

These methods include the:

  • contraceptive injection
  • contraceptive implant
  • intrauterine organisation (IUS)
  • intrauterine device (IUD)

Meet a GP, nurse or visit your nearest sexual health dispensary to discuss the options available.

If you're under 16 years old

Contraception services are free and confidential, including for people under the age of xvi.

If you're under 16 and want contraception, the doctor, nurse or pharmacist won't tell your parents (or carer) as long every bit they believe you fully sympathize the information you're given, and the decisions yous're making.

Doctors and nurses work under strict guidelines when dealing with people under sixteen. They'll encourage y'all to consider telling your parents, merely they won't make you.

The simply time a professional might want to tell someone else is if they believe you're at hazard of harm, such as abuse. The risk would need to be serious, and they would usually hash out this with you first.

Page last reviewed: 22 February 2018
Next review due: 22 February 2021

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Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/emergency-contraception/

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