What should I know about the morning after pill?

The morning after pill works by preventing, or delaying, ovulation. This means that when the sperm enter the fallopian tubes, there is no egg there to fertilise so no pregnancy can occur. By taking emergency contraception as soon as possible after unprotected sex you reduce your chances of ovulating. If ovulation takes place between unprotected sex and taking the morning after pill, the pill will be ineffective in preventing pregnancy.

If you have taken emergency contraception but your next period doesn’t arrive, or is over 7 days late, then you should take a pregnancy test.

Of course you can. The morning after pill is free if you are under 18 years old, and you can get it anonymously at pharmacies, family planning centres, or from your school nurse.

The sooner you take the morning after pill the more effective it will be. Pills containing levonorgestrel are effective for up to 72 hours (3 days), whereas ellaOne is effective for up to 120 hours (5 days). With either of these emergency contraceptive pills, the longer you leave it, the less effective it will be, so don’t delay.

If you vomit within three hours of taking ellaOne, it will not be effective and you will need to take another pill.

Yes! This nickname is given to ellaOne^® because it can be effective for up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Despite the nickname, it is important to remember that the longer you wait, the less effective emergency contraception will be. Any morning after pill is most effective when taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex.