The morning after pill is an emergency contraceptive that helps prevent unwanted pregnancy after unprotected or poorly protected sex. How it works ? When to take it? How effective is it? Where to get it? At what price ? Know everything.
The morning after pill is an emergency contraception, allowing to avoid an unwanted pregnancy in case of unprotected or poorly protected sexual intercourse. One in three French people have already taken the morning after pill according to a survey published by the online pharmacy Newpharma. Since January 1, 2023, emergency contraception is 100% covered and available without a prescription in pharmaciesfor all, adults and minors. How does it really work? Is its use unlimited? Is it effective? When to take it and how do you know if its contraceptive effect has worked? Answers.
Principle: how does the morning after pill work?
The morning after pill works mainly by delaying ovulation. It’s about a exceptional remedial method to avoid an unwanted pregnancy in the event of unprotected or poorly protected intercourse. It is in no way an abortion pill: it cannot therefore trigger an abortion since it is no longer effective if fertilization has already taken place. It is delivered in the form of a single tablet, which must be taken as soon as possible after intercourse with a glass of water. It exists two types morning after pill:
- with levonorgestrel (Levonorgestrel Biogaran, NorLevo): take up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected or poorly protected intercourse.
- with ulipristal acetate (EllaOne): take up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected or poorly protected intercourse. It is commonly referred to as “the day after day pill”.
Extra advice: Emergency contraception can also be obtained through the insertion of a copper intrauterine device by a doctor or midwife within 5 days after intercourse. It is an alternative to the morning after pill. |
When to take the morning after pill?
The morning after pill should not replace regular contraception and is used occasionally. It is an emergency contraceptive that can be taken at any time during the cycle in several situations:
- after high-risk intercourse without contraception
- if you took the pill with a jet lag
- if you have vomited or had diarrhea after taking the pill
- if you are not taking the pill and have had a condom accident
- after forgetting to take a pill
Effect: how do you know if the morning after pill worked?
The sooner the morning after pill is taken after unsafe sex, the more effective it is.
Although95% effective if taken within 24 hours (its effectiveness drops to 85% on the second day and to 58% between 48 and 72 hours) after risky intercourse, the morning after pill does not provide optimal protection. Only a pregnancy test will allow you to invalidate or not the doubt of a possible pregnancy. It is therefore advisable to take a pregnancy test within three weeks of the date of unprotected or poorly protected intercourse. Moreover, even if you have taken the morning after pill in case of forgetting a pill, you should not not interrupt usual contraception : Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember and continue to take the tablets daily until the end of the pack. Remember to protect yourself with a condom until your next period. The morning after pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections in any way: in the event of a risk report, get tested.
What are the possible side effects of the morning after pill?
Taking a morning after pill can cause side effects: nausea, vomiting, headache, feeling tired or dizzy, abdominal pain, breast tenderness. Some may have menstruation disrupted, delayed or advanced, and bleeding. Rest assured, these effects are rather rare and they do not last very long. Namely: if you vomit within three hours of taking emergency contraception, you must take another tablet. Finally, some misconceptions remain about the morning after pill: would using it too much make you sterile? No, the use of emergency contraception has no impact on fertility. However, if you take it too often, it can affect your menstrual cycle and cause your period to be delayed, delayed or brought forward.
What are the contraindications of the morning after pill?
Emergency contraception delivers only a progestogen and theoretically has no contraindications. However, in case of risk or history of ectopic pregnancy, it will be necessary to be more vigilant and monitor the appearance of menstruation or symptoms (abnormal bleeding, abdominal pain …) Obviously, the morning after pill is ineffective in pregnant women. Moreover, for a long time it was thought that the morning after pill was less effective in overweight women (from 75-80 kg), however, the European Medicines Agency denied this information in 2014. “The available data are too limited and not strong enough to conclude with certainty that the contraceptive effect is reduced with a high body mass, as stated in the Norlevo package insert.“, they specify in a statement. Finally, EllaOne type pills are contraindicated for (rare) people allergic to ulipristal acetate.
What is the price of the morning after pill?
Since January 1, 2023, emergency contraception is 100% covered and available without a prescription in pharmaciesfor all, adults and minors.
On the health forum: discussions about the morning after pill
Things to remember about the morning after pill
→ Even if you have taken the morning after pill, do not not interrupt your usual contraception
→ Take the missed pill tablet as soon as you remember and continue taking the pills daily until the pack runs out
→ Remember to protect yourself with a condom until your next period.
→ The morning after pill does not in any way protect against sexually transmitted infections: in the event of a risk report, get tested.