If You Take Plan B and Then Have Sex Again That Day Do You Need to Take It Again

Emergency contraception can forbid pregnancy later unprotected sex or if the contraception you take used has failed – for example, a condom has separate or you have missed a pill.

There are ii types of emergency contraception:

the emergency contraceptive pill – Levonelle or ellaOne (the "forenoon after" pill)
the intrauterine device (IUD or coil)

At a glance: facts about emergency contraception

You demand to take the emergency contraceptive pill within iii days (Levonelle) or 5 days (ellaOne) of unprotected sex for it to be effective – the sooner you take information technology, the more than effective it'll be.
The IUD can be fitted up to 5 days later on unprotected sex, or up to v days after the earliest time you could have ovulated, for information technology to exist effective.
The IUD is more effective than the contraceptive pill at preventing pregnancy – less than one% of women who use the IUD get pregnant.
Taking the emergency contraceptive pills Levonelle or ellaOne can requite y'all a headache or stomach hurting and make you feel or be ill.
The emergency contraceptive pill can make your next period earlier, later on or more than painful than usual.
If you're sick (vomit) within ii hours of taking Levonelle or 3 hours of taking ellaOne, go to your GP, pharmacist or genitourinary medicine (Glue) clinic, as yous'll need to take another dose or have an IUD fitted.
If you use the IUD as emergency contraception, it can be left in and used equally your regular contraceptive method.
If you use the IUD equally a regular method of contraception, information technology can make your periods longer, heavier or more than painful.
You may feel some discomfort when the IUD is put in, but painkillers tin can help.
In that location are no serious side effects of using emergency contraception.
Emergency contraception doesn't crusade 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 cease or delay the release of an egg (ovulation).

Levonelle has to be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of sex to prevent pregnancy. It doesn't interfere with your regular method of contraception.

ellaOne

ellaOne contains ulipristal acetate, which stops progesterone working unremarkably. This as well works past stopping or delaying the release of an egg.

ellaOne has to be taken inside 120 hours (five days) of sexual practice to prevent pregnancy.

If y'all take Levonelle or ellaOne

Levonelle and ellaOne don't keep to protect you against pregnancy – if you accept unprotected sexual practice at any time after taking the emergency pill, you can become significant.

They aren't intended to be used as a regular course of contraception. But you tin can use emergency contraception more than once in a menstrual cycle if you need to.

Who can use the emergency pill?

Most women can employ the emergency contraceptive pill. This includes women who tin't use hormonal contraception, such equally the combined pill and contraceptive patch. Girls under 16 years old can too apply it.

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

the herbal medicine St John's Wort
some medicines used to treat epilepsy, HIV or tuberculosis (TB)
medicine to brand your tum less acidic, such equally omeprazole
some less commonly used antibiotics (rifampicin and rifabutin)

ellaOne can't exist used if you're already taking one of these medicines, as information technology may not piece of work. Levonelle may still be used, merely the dose may need to be increased.

Tell a GP, nurse or chemist what medicines y'all're taking, and they can advise y'all if they're safe to take with the emergency contraceptive pill.

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

Breastfeeding

Levonelle is safe to accept while breastfeeding. Although small amounts of the hormones in the pill may pass into your breast milk, it'southward not thought to be harmful to your babe.

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

If you lot're already using regular contraception

Y'all may need to have the emergency pill if you lot:

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

If you lot have taken Levonelle, you should:

accept your next contraceptive pill, utilize a new patch or insert a new band inside 12 hours of taking the emergency pill
continue taking your regular contraceptive pill every bit normal

Employ additional contraception, such equally condoms, for:

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

If yous have taken ellaOne:

expect at least 5 days before taking your next contraceptive pill, applying a new patch or inserting a new ring

Use additional contraception, such equally condoms, until y'all restart your contraception and for an boosted:

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

A GP or nurse tin can advise further on when yous can start taking regular contraception and how long you should use additional contraception.

Side effects of using the emergency pill

In that location are no serious or long-term side effects from taking the emergency contraceptive pill.

But it can crusade:

headaches
tummy pain
changes to your side by side period – it can be earlier, later or more painful than usual
feeling or beingness sick – become medical attending if you lot're sick within ii hours of taking Levonelle or three hours of taking ellaOne, as you'll need to have another dose or accept an IUD fitted

Run into a GP or nurse if your symptoms don't go abroad afterward a few days or if:

you lot think you might be pregnant
your next period is more than 7 days late
your menstruum is shorter or lighter than usual
you lot accept sudden pain in your lower tummy – in rare cases, a fertilised egg may have implanted outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy)

Tin I go the emergency contraceptive pill in advance?

You lot can get the emergency contraceptive pill in advance of having unprotected sex if:

you're worried virtually your contraceptive method failing
you're going on holiday
you lot can't get hold of emergency contraception easily

Come across a GP or nurse for further communication on getting accelerate emergency contraception. You can also talk to them about 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'southward put into your womb (uterus) by a doc or nurse.

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

The IUD tin can be inserted up to 5 days afterwards unprotected sexual activity, or upwardly to 5 days after the earliest time you could accept ovulated (released an egg), to prevent pregnancy.

You tin can besides choose to accept the IUD left in equally an ongoing method of contraception.

How effective is the IUD at preventing pregnancy?

The emergency IUD is the about effective method of emergency contraception – less than i% of women who utilise the IUD get significant.

It'southward more than effective than the emergency pill at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex.

Who can apply the IUD?

Most women can use an IUD, including those who are HIV positive. A GP or nurse will ask about your medical history to check if an IUD is suitable for you.

The IUD might non exist suitable if you have:

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

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

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The IUD shouldn't be inserted if there's a risk that yous may already exist meaning.

It'due south prophylactic to use when y'all're breastfeeding and it won't affect your milk supply.

Side effects of the IUD

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

pain
infection
damage to the womb
the IUD coming out of your womb
heavier, longer or more than painful periods if you go along to use information technology as a regular method of contraception

Where can I get emergency contraception?

Getting information technology for free

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

contraception clinics
sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
some GP surgeries
some immature people's clinics
most NHS walk-in centres and minor injuries units
near pharmacies
some accident and emergency (A&E) departments (telephone first to bank check)

Find your nearest sexual wellness clinic

Find your nearest chemist's shop

Buying it

If yous're aged 16 or over, you tin can purchase the emergency contraceptive pill from well-nigh pharmacies, in person or online, and from some organisations, such as the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). The cost varies, only it will be around £25 to £35.

Getting contraception during coronavirus

If you need emergency contraception, call your GP surgery, a pharmacy or a sexual health clinic as soon equally possible. Only go in person if asked to.

Yous'll commonly accept a phone or video consultation. You'll be given an electronic prescription you tin use to collect your contraception from a pharmacy or get it delivered.

Y'all can likewise purchase emergency contraception directly from a pharmacy or private sexual wellness clinic without a prescription.

Contraception for the hereafter

If you're not using a regular method of contraception, you might consider doing so to protect yourself from an unintended pregnancy.

There are several methods of contraception that protect yous for a long menses, then yous don't have to retrieve about them in one case they're in identify, or remember to utilise or take them every day or every time you have sex.

These methods include the:

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

See a GP, nurse or visit your nearest sexual wellness dispensary to discuss the options bachelor.

If you're under xvi years old

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

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

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

The merely time a professional might want to tell someone else is if they believe you lot're at hazard of harm, such equally corruption. The risk would need to be serious, and they would ordinarily discuss this with you commencement.

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/