How long is the effectiveness of morning after pill

Your experience will be compromised. Update or change your browser Don't show this notice again. The emergency contraceptive pill is a contraceptive method used after sex has occurred.

It is used to prevent pregnancy if you had sex with no contraceptive protection. For example, when there is a broken condom, missed or late pills or no contraception used. You can choose emergency contraceptive pills or the non-hormonal copper IUD for emergency contraception. The ulipristal acetate emergency contraceptive pill EllaOne , is more effective at preventing pregnancy than the levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pill.

Another emergency contraception option is the non-hormonal copper IUD. See non-hormonal copper IUD for more information. The emergency contraceptive pill should be taken swallowed as soon as possible after unprotected sex.

It can be taken up to 4 or 5 days after unprotected sex, depending on the type of pill you take. Speak to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist for further information. You can buy the emergency contraceptive pill at a pharmacy. You do not need a script. The price will vary depending on the type of emergency contraceptive pill and the pharmacy.

The emergency contraceptive pill can change the amount of vaginal bleeding for your next menstrual period. It may also make your period late or earlier, or it may come as you normally expect. Irregular bleeding patterns are common among people taking levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pill 5. If your period is more than one week late, it is recommended to take a pregnancy test 3.

Remember, the emergency contraceptive pill is not a guarantee against pregnancy. Nope—the emergency contraceptive will not affect your fertility in the future 2,3.

Only barrier devices, like internal or external condoms, gloves, or dental dams, will offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases STIs. Remember, the emergency contraception pill is not an abortifacient —this means it does not prevent a pregnancy if you have already ovulated and conception has happened.

There are many reasons why the emergency contraception pill might fail as explained in detail in this article , so for your best chances of success take emergency contraception as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. Prices will differ by country, state, and if insurance can be used. But in general, taking an emergency contraceptive pill every month is more expensive than just using regular birth control pills or getting an IUD.

Emergency contraception is safe and effective. However, some people do experience mild side effects including: nausea, abdominal cramping, fatigue, headache, breast tenderness, dizziness, menstrual pain, and acne 2,3,5. Are vaginal fluids really all that different? In this article, we explain how to identify vaginal discharge, arousal fluid, and cervical fluid. Morning-after pills contain either levonorgestrel Plan B One-Step, Aftera, others or ulipristal acetate ella.

Levonorgestrel is available over-the-counter without a prescription; ulipristal acetate is available only with a prescription. Morning-after pills can help prevent pregnancy if you've had unprotected sex — either because you didn't use birth control, you missed a birth control pill, you were sexually assaulted or your method of birth control failed.

Morning-after pills do not end a pregnancy that has implanted. They work primarily by delaying or preventing ovulation. Keep in mind that the morning-after pill isn't the same as mifepristone Mifeprex , also known as RU or the abortion pill.

This drug terminates an established pregnancy — one in which the fertilized egg has attached to the uterine wall and has begun to develop. Emergency contraception is an effective option for preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex, but it isn't as effective as other methods of contraception and isn't recommended for routine use. Also, the morning-after pill can fail even with correct use, and it offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections.

If you're overweight or obese, there's some indication that the morning-after pill won't be as effective in preventing pregnancy as it is for women who aren't overweight. Also, make sure you're not pregnant before using ulipristal. Three forms of emergency contraception are currently available in the UK: the intrauterine contraceptive device copper coil or IUCD , and two types of morning after pill - ellaOne ulipristal acetate and the traditional morning after pill commonly known as Levonelle also available under other brand names, but with the same active ingredient, levonorgestrel.

Crucially though, both pills are only effective if taken before ovulation has occurred, as they work by delaying or preventing egg release from the ovaries. Ovulation will usually occur about 14 days before your period starts, but this can vary depending on the length of your cycle, your general health and other factors.

Across the UK, lockdown restrictions are starting to ease, albeit at different rates in the four If you vomit within two hours of taking the morning after pill, consult a doctor as if the first pill was not fully absorbed you may need to take a second dose, and take anti-sickness medication in combination.

Side-effects are likely to be the same regardless of which brand of pill you take. Some common medications, such as barbiturates and St John's wort, may impact upon the effectiveness of the morning after pill, and treatments for epilepsy and heartburn may also reduce its effectiveness.

If you're over 11 stone in weight, research indicates that the progestogen morning after pill in particular won't be as effective in preventing pregnancy as it is for women who maintain a lower, stable weight. If you haven't had a period more than a week after it's expected, it is shorter or lighter than usual, or you are concerned that emergency contraception may have failed, take a pregnancy test and consult a doctor. Health risks associated with emergency contraception are unlikely and rare, reassures O'Sullivan.

There are no long-term risks to your health or fertility if you use the emergency contraceptive pill more than once. The morning after pill was not developed to be taken regularly though, but as an emergency option if your usual form of contraception fails eg, condoms.