what does the morning after pill do to your body

Emergency contraception tin can prevent pregnancy subsequently unprotected sexual practice or if the contraception you have used has failed – for instance, a condom has split or yous 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)

At a glance: facts about emergency contraception

You need to take the emergency contraceptive pill inside iii days (Levonelle) or 5 days (ellaOne) of unprotected sex for it to be constructive – the sooner y'all take it, the more effective it'll be.
The IUD tin be fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex activity, or up to 5 days after the earliest time you could have 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 get meaning.
Taking the emergency contraceptive pills Levonelle or ellaOne tin give you lot a headache or stomach pain and make you lot feel or be ill.
The emergency contraceptive pill can brand your adjacent period before, afterwards or more painful than usual.
If you're sick (vomit) inside 2 hours of taking Levonelle or three hours of taking ellaOne, go to your GP, pharmacist or genitourinary medicine (Glue) dispensary, as you'll need to take another dose or have an IUD fitted.
If yous utilise the IUD as emergency contraception, it tin be left in and used as your regular contraceptive method.
If you lot use the IUD every bit a regular method of contraception, it can make your periods longer, heavier or more painful.
You may experience some discomfort when the IUD is put in, only painkillers tin assist.
In that location 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 synthetic (man-made) version of the natural hormone progesterone produced by the ovaries.

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

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

ellaOne

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

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

If you lot accept Levonelle or ellaOne

Levonelle and ellaOne don't continue to protect you against pregnancy – if you lot take unprotected sex at whatever time after taking the emergency pill, you tin become pregnant.

They aren't intended to exist used equally a regular form of contraception. Merely you can employ emergency contraception more than in one case in a menstrual cycle if you need to.

Who can utilise the emergency pill?

Near women can utilize the emergency contraceptive pill. This includes women who can't use hormonal contraception, such as the combined pill and contraceptive patch. Girls under 16 years old can besides use it.

Simply you may not be able to take the emergency contraceptive pill if you're allergic to anything in information technology, have severe asthma or accept any medicines that may collaborate with it, such as:

the herbal medicine St John's Wort
some medicines used to care for epilepsy, HIV or tuberculosis (TB)
medicine to brand your tummy less acidic, such as omeprazole
some less ordinarily used antibiotics (rifampicin and rifabutin)

ellaOne tin't be used if you're already taking one of these medicines, every bit it may non work. Levonelle may even so be used, just the dose may need to be increased.

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

You can also read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine for more information.

Breastfeeding

Levonelle is rubber to take while breastfeeding. Although small amounts of the hormones in the pill may pass into your breast milk, it'southward non thought to be harmful to your baby.

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

If you're already using regular contraception

You lot may need to accept the emergency pill if you:

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

If y'all have taken Levonelle, yous should:

take your next contraceptive pill, apply a new patch or insert a new ring within 12 hours of taking the emergency pill
continue taking your regular contraceptive pill as normal

Utilise additional contraception, such as condoms, for:

vii days if you lot use the patch, ring, combined pill (except Qlaira), implant or injection
9 days for the combined pill Qlaira
2 days if you lot apply the progestogen-only pill

If you have taken ellaOne:

wait at least v days earlier taking your next contraceptive pill, applying a new patch or inserting a new ring

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

vii days if you use the patch, ring, combined pill (except Qlaira), implant or injection
ix days for the combined pill Qlaira
2 days if yous use the progestogen-only pill

A GP or nurse can advise further on when you tin can offset 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 effects from taking the emergency contraceptive pill.

But information technology can cause:

headaches
tummy hurting
changes to your side by side menses – it tin can exist earlier, later or more than painful than usual
feeling or being ill – get medical attention if you lot're ill inside ii hours of taking Levonelle or 3 hours of taking ellaOne, as y'all'll need to take another dose or have an IUD fitted

See a GP or nurse if your symptoms don't go away after a few days or if:

y'all think you lot might be pregnant
your next period is more than seven days late
your flow is shorter or lighter than usual
you lot take sudden hurting in your lower tummy – in rare cases, a fertilised egg may accept implanted outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy)

Can I get the emergency contraceptive pill in advance?

You tin can become the emergency contraceptive pill in accelerate of having unprotected sexual activity if:

you're worried about your contraceptive method failing
y'all're going on vacation
you can't get concur of emergency contraception easily

Come across a GP or nurse for further advice on getting advance emergency contraception. You lot tin can likewise talk to them well-nigh your options for regular methods of contraception.

How the IUD works equally emergency contraception

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

It releases copper to stop the egg implanting in your womb or being fertilised.

The IUD can be inserted up to 5 days afterwards unprotected sex, or up to 5 days afterwards the earliest fourth dimension 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 one% of women who utilise the IUD get meaning.

It's more effective than the emergency pill at preventing pregnancy later on unprotected sex activity.

Who can employ the IUD?

Nigh women can employ an IUD, including those who are HIV positive. A GP or nurse will ask well-nigh your medical history to check if an IUD is suitable for yous.

The IUD might not be suitable if you have:

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

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

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The IUD shouldn't be inserted if there's a gamble that you may already be pregnant.

Information technology's condom to use when yous're breastfeeding and it won't touch your milk supply.

Side effects of the IUD

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

pain
infection
impairment 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 gratuitous

You tin can get emergency contraception for free, even if you're nether 16, from these places, but they may not all fit the IUD:

contraception clinics
sexual wellness or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
some GP surgeries
some young people's clinics
most NHS walk-in centres and small-scale injuries units
most pharmacies
some blow and emergency (A&E) departments (phone first to bank check)

Find your nearest sexual health clinic

Discover your nearest pharmacy

Ownership it

If you're aged sixteen or over, you lot tin buy the emergency contraceptive pill from most pharmacies, in person or online, and from some organisations, such as the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). The cost varies, but it volition exist around £25 to £35.

Getting contraception during coronavirus

If yous demand emergency contraception, phone call your GP surgery, a chemist's or a sexual wellness clinic equally soon every bit possible. Only go in person if asked to.

You'll ordinarily have a phone or video consultation. Yous'll be given an electronic prescription you can use to collect your contraception from a pharmacy or become it delivered.

You tin can as well buy emergency contraception directly from a pharmacy or individual sexual health dispensary without a prescription.

Contraception for the time to come

If y'all're non using a regular method of contraception, you lot might consider doing so to protect yourself from an unintended pregnancy.

There are several methods of contraception that protect y'all for a long period, and so yous don't have to call up well-nigh them once they're in identify, or remember to use or accept them every day or every time you have sex activity.

These methods include the:

contraceptive injection
contraceptive implant
intrauterine arrangement (IUS)
intrauterine device (IUD)

See a GP, nurse or visit your nearest sexual health clinic to talk over the options available.

If you lot're under 16 years one-time

Contraception services are complimentary and confidential, including for people under the historic period of xvi.

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

Doctors and nurses piece of work under strict guidelines when dealing with people nether 16. They'll encourage you lot to consider telling your parents, but they won't make you lot.

The only time a professional might want to tell someone else is if they believe you're at take chances of damage, such as abuse. The risk would need to be serious, and they would usually discuss 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/