Emergency contraception pills ("morning after pill")
What is it and how does it work?
If you have had sex without using contraception ("unprotected sex") or think your contraceptive method may have failed, Emergency Contraceptive Pills (you may have heard them called "morning after pills") are a method a woman can use to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.
Emergency contraceptive pills contain a progestogen hormone. They should be started within 3 days (72 hours) of having unprotected sex, but are more effective the sooner they are taken. They come in a packet of two. Both pills should be taken together, at the same time, as soon as possible after unprotected sex.
Work mainly by stopping a woman's ovaries releasing an egg, or by delaying ovulation. They will also stop a fertilised egg settling in the womb.
After taking emergency contraceptive pills, your period may come earlier than expected or may be up to a week late. Usually it will come within a few days of when you are expecting it. You may experience some irregular bleeding (this can range from spotting to quite heavy) between taking the emergency pills and getting your next period.
Who can use them?
Almost every woman can use emergency pills. However, tell the doctor or nurse if you are taking any prescribed or complementary medicines, or suffer from particular illnesses, as you may require specialist advice.
Disadvantages
No serious or long term effects. A very small number of women will vomit.
In the short term some women may suffer from:
- nausea
- headaches
- dizziness
- tiredness
- breast tenderness
- abdominal pain
Where can you get them from?
Emergency contraception is available free of charge from:
- Any GP who provides contraceptive services
- Any Family Planning Clinic
- Any Young Persons Clinic or Brook Clinic
- Most Sexual Health Clinics
- Most Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) Clinics
- Most NHS walk-in centres (England only)
- Some hospital accident and emergency departments (telephone first)
- Some pharmacies
You can buy emergency contraception from:
- Most pharmacies if you are 16 years old or over
- Some privately run clinics (e.g. British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and Marie Stopes.
Wherever you go, all advice and treatment you receive is confidential.
How effective are they?
Emergency contraceptive pills are more effective the sooner they are taken after sex.
If taken within 24 hours (1 day) of unprotected sex they will prevent 95% of pregnancies expected to occur if no emergency contraception had been used.
If taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex they will prevent 58% of pregnancies expected to occur if no emergency contraception had been used.
After taking emergency contraceptive pills, go to see you doctor or nurse if:
- your period is more than 7 days late
- your period is shorter or lighter than your usual period
- you have sudden or unusual pain in your lower abdomen
- you think you might be pregnant
- you want to talk about regular contraception
- you are worried that you might have caught a sexually transmitted infection.
Contacts
The contacts database contains details of organisations that may be able to offer information or assistance on this issue.
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Other forms of contraception:
Adapted from information produced by the FPA - www.fpa.org.uk
