Emergency contraception can be taken up to five days after an episode of unprotected sex (not just the morning after) or even later depending on where you are in your cycle. If there is any doubt, it is better for you to speak to your GP or come to one of the sexual health clinics for advice.
If you have had unprotected sex and/or one of the following factors has occurred you may want to access emergency contraception to reduce the chance of an unwanted pregnancy:
You have not used a condom and you are not on any other form of contraception
The condom has come off or split
You have missed or are late in taking/replacing your regular form of hormonal contraception
You are taking a prescribed medication which has reduced the effectiveness of your hormonal contraception
Your hormonal contraception has been made less effectiveness by sickness and/or diarrhoea
It’s best to act quickly after having unprotected sex (within the first 24 hours) however there are forms of Emergency Contraception that can be accessed for up to five days after.
There are two types of emergency contraception:
The oral emergency contraceptive pill which is available from a sexual health pharmacy, your GP, or Leeds Sexual Health. You can also buy levonorglestrel from the pharmacy if you’re aged 16 or over. If you are 18 or over you can buy ulipristal from the pharmacy. Both are free of charge if you have a prescription or from sexual health pharmacies in Leeds (see below).
The Copper intrauterine device (IUD) or emergency copper coil which can only be fitted by a specially trained doctor or nurse. This may be available from your GP or is available from Leeds Sexual Health.
A health professional can discuss your circumstances and recommend which course of action is best for you.
The most effective way of preventing an unwanted pregnancy is to take an oral form of emergency contraception and then have a contraceptive coil fitted (IUD).
Where can you get it?
If you wish to access emergency contraception it is important to let the receptionist know that what you need when you are booking an appointment so that you are seen quicker.
Your GP: You can access emergency contraception from your GP. Your GP may give you a prescription to take to your local pharmacy. Contraception is free of charge to women of all ages in the UK so you do not need to pay for emergency contraception. If it is on prescription you may need to take it within the pharmacy to prevent people accessing it on behalf of other people.
Sexual health pharmacies: Some pharmacies in Leeds are sexual health pharmacies and can give the emergency contraceptive pill to Leeds residents for free, without a prescription. You will be required to have a 15 minute confidential consultation with the pharmacist when accessing these services. Use the service finder and view ‘emergency contraception’ to see them on a map.
Leeds Sexual Health: You can also contact us at Leeds Sexual Health to access emergency contraception. Remember to ask about future/ongoing contraception as it may be possible for this to be arranged at the same time too. Please contact us as soon as possible if you want a copper coil for emergency contraception.
Remember: Emergency contraception is free with a Leeds postcode.
Copper IUD (intrauterine device) or copper coil as emergency contraception
The copper IUD can be inserted up to five days after having unprotected sex. The IUD is more effective than the emergency pill at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex.
Find out more about an IUD (intrauterine device) or copper coil, including who can use it, how well it works and possible side effects.
The emergency contraception pill
There are two kinds of emergency contraceptive pill – levonorgestrel and ullipristal . Both work by preventing or delaying ovulation. The sooner you take emergency contraception, the better.
What is it?
The emergency contraceptive pill is sometimes called the “morning after pill”. There are two kinds of emergency contraceptive pill: levonorgestrel and ulipristal. Both work by preventing or delaying ovulation.
You can take levonorgestrel more than once in a menstrual cycle and it does not interfere with your regular method of contraception. It has to be taken within 72 hours (three days) of sex.
Ullipristal may also be taken more than once in a cycle but may prevent other types of hormonal contraception from working for a further five days after use. It has to be taken within 120 hours (five days) of sex. Neither protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Ullipristal is more effective than levonorgestrel. Both are less effective than the copper IUD (coil) at preventing pregnancy. The sooner you take either pill, the better.
Who can use it?
Most can use the emergency contraceptive pill. This includes those who cannot usually use hormonal contraception, such as the patch or the combined pill.
It is advised that you should not use ullipristral if you:
Are allergic to any of the components of the drug.
Have severe asthma that is not properly controlled by steroids.
Have hereditary problems with lactose metabolism.
Are taking liver enzyme-inducing medication (as ullipristal will not be effective).
If you are breast-feeding unless you express and discard the milk for one week.
What are the advantages?
There is no evidence that levonorgestrel or ulipristal affect a developing baby.
Levonorgestrel and ulipristal can be used even if there has been an earlier episode of unprotected sex in the menstrual cycle in addition to the current episode.
Levonorgestrel can be taken while breastfeeding (even though small amounts of the hormones contained in the pill may pass into your breast milk, it is not thought to be harmful to the baby).
Certain medications such as some HIV, epilepsy, TB treatments and St John’s Wort may affect levonorgestrel or ulipristal while they are being taken and for 28 days afterwards). You may be offered a double-dose of levornogestrel in this circumstance.
After taking either emergency contraceptive pill, you may bleed at the expected time or may have your period later or earlier than normal. If your bleed is more than seven days later than you were expecting your period, or it is unusually light or short, contact your GP as soon as possible and perform a pregnancy test. You can take levonorgestrel or ulipristal more than once in a menstrual cycle. Levonorgestrel does not interfere with your regular method of contraception but ulipristal does.
What are the disadvantages?
The manufacturer recommends that you do not breastfeed for one week after taking ullipristal.
Taking either can have some common side effects. This includes abdominal pain, headache, irregular menstrual bleeding (spotting or heavy bleeding) before your next period is due and nausea.
Less common side effects include breast tenderness, dizziness, headache and vomiting. It is important to seek medical advice if you vomit within two hours of taking levonorgestrel or three hours of taking ulipristal, as you will need another dose or an IUD fitted.
Either contraceptive pill may interact with other medicines. This includes St John’s Wort, medication and some medicines used to treat HIV, epilepsy and TB. Ullipristal is not used if you are taking one of these medicines, as it may not be effective. Levonorgestrel may still be used but the dose will need to be increased (your doctor or pharmacist can advise on this).
Ullipristal may prevent other types of hormonal contraception from working for five days after use.
Neither protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Both are less effective than the copper IUD at preventing pregnancy.
Remember: talk to your GP or go to your sexual health clinic if you are concerned about any of your symptoms after taking either pill, especially if:
you think you might be pregnant
your next period is more than seven days late
your period is shorter or lighter than usual
you have any sudden or unusual pain in your lower abdomen. This could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, where a fertilised egg implants outside of the womb. This is rare but serious, so you will need immediate medical attention.
What if I am already using hormonal contraception?
You may need to take the emergency pill because you forgot to take your regular contraceptive pill, you did not use your contraceptive patch or vaginal ring correctly, or you were late having your contraceptive injection. If this is the case, you will likely be offered levonorgestrel and should take your next contraceptive pill, apply a new patch or insert a new ring within 12 hours of taking this. You can then continue taking your regular contraceptive pill as normal. You will need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for the next seven days if you use the patch, ring, combined pill or injection, or the next two days if you use the progestogen only pill.
If you have taken ullipristal, you will need to delay using hormonal contraception such as pills, patches or rings for the next five days and use condoms until the hormonal method has been used for seven days if you use the patch, ring, combined pill, or injection, or two days if you use the progestogen only pill.
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Contraception Choices
There are many types of contraception available and none are perfect. The Contraception Choices website provides honest information to help weigh up the pros and cons.
