When to take the morning-after pill?

What’s covered?

The morning-after pill or emergency contraception is an emergency method of birth control. It is used to prevent pregnancy when routine methods of birth control have failed, e.g., a tear in the condom. There have been quite a few instances of routine contraceptive method failing, and that's when emergency contraception comes to your rescue. It’s the birth control you may turn to in case you have had unprotected sex without birth control.

Methods of Emergency Birth Control

Methods of Emergency Birth Control include:

1. The Intrauterine Device (IUD)

2. The morning-after pill or emergency contraception pill

There are two types of morning-after pills:

a. Levonelle

b. ellaOne

The intrauterine device (IUD)

Emergency birth control with the help of an intrauterine device is considered to be quite successful in preventing pregnancy. Though chances of pregnancy are rare with all types of emergency birth control methods, IUDs are more effective than the morning-after pill. Statistically, it has been observed that less than 0.1% of people may become pregnant even after using an IUD.

Also known as the copper T or copper coil, the IUD is a T-shaped small device that contains copper. The device may be fitted into your uterus by a trained healthcare professional. Unlike the hormonal contraception of the intrauterine system, IUDs prevent pregnancy by releasing copper into the uterus, which prevents sperm from fertilizing the egg. It is also known to prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterine wall.

An IUD may also be used as a method of routine and long-term birth control. It has been observed to be effective for as long as 5 to 10 years and can be placed into the uterus on any day of your menstrual cycle. In case of emergency birth control, the IUD must be inserted within five days of unprotected sex. If you know the day you ovulated, the IUD may be inserted by your GP or nurse within five days of your ovulation.

Emergency contraceptive pills

The emergency contraception pills are effective only if consumed before ovulation has occurred. Although termed as a morning-after pill, you needn't wait for the morning to have the pill. The quicker you take it, the more effective is the emergency pill.

Emergency contraceptive pill-Levonelle

Levonelle pill contains levonorgestrel. It is a synthetic version of the progesterone hormone and acts by delaying or stopping ovulation. The pill doesn’t affect your normal methods of contraception. It is considered safe for most women, with the WHO, not contraindicating the pill for women with any other medical condition. You may continue taking your normal contraceptive pill within 12 hours of consuming Levonelle. Levonelle boasts of high success rates with only 1 to 2% of pregnancies among women who have taken the levonelle emergency contraceptive pill after having unprotected sex.

When to take the emergency contraception pill-Levonelle?

Luteinizing hormone (LH) tends to rise during ovulation. Levonelle is not effective after LH levels have risen in your body and should therefore be taken within 72hours or 3 days after having unprotected sex.

Order a Levonelle pill here.

Emergency COntraceptive Pill-Ellaone

ellaOne contains ulipristal acetate which prevents pregnancy, by delaying or preventing ovulation. It acts by interfering with the normal function of progesterone in the body

ellaOne boasts of a higher success rate in comparison to levonelle, with only 0.6 to 2.6% chances of pregnancy on the consumption of ellaOne. You may resume taking your routine contraceptive pills five days after consumption of ellaOne.

When to take the emergency contraception pill-Ellaone?

ellaOne is most effective if consumed within 120 hours or five days after unprotected sex.

Order an ellaOne pill here.

Side effects of the morning-after pill

Some of the commonly observed effects on the consumption of emergency contraceptive pills include:

• Headache

• Breast tenderness

• Bloating

• Abdominal pain

• Irregular menstrual periods

• Spotting or bleeding from the vagina for a week

Consult your doctor

You may consult your doctor if you vomit two hours after consuming levonelle or three hours after consuming ellaOne. Depending on the recommendation of your doctor, you may have to take the contraceptive pill once again.

Watch out for unusual side effects like spotting or bleeding that lasts for more than a week.

It is best to take a pregnancy test in case your period is delayed by five days to a week.

Although levonelle may be passed via breastfeeding to your child, it is not known to harm your child and is therefore considered safe while breastfeeding. On the hand, manufacturers do not recommend ellaOne for breastfeeding women.

To learn more about morning-after pills, read through our information page here.

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