What is emergency contraception?
If you’ve had sex without contraception or your contraception has failed, you can still prevent an unwanted pregnancy if you act quickly. Contraception may fail for the following reasons:
- a condom splits or comes off during sex
- you have vomiting or diarrhoea when using the contraceptive pill
- certain medicines can make the pill less effective
How does it work?
There are two methods of emergency contraception:
Emergency contraceptive pill
The emergency hormonal contraceptive pill (sometimes known as the morning after pill) contains progestogen.
How it works: Stops or delays ovulation.
The emergency pill
Levonelle may be taken up to three days (72 hours) after sex.
ellaOne may be taken up to five days (120 hours)after sex but this needs to be prescribed by a doctor.
The sooner it’s taken, the more effective it is ─ about 95 per cent effective if taken within 24 hours.
The emergency pill should not be relied on as a regular method of contraception.
The intra-uterine device (IUD)
The intra-uterine device (IUD) is inserted into the uterus (womb).
How it works: Prevents fertilisation or stops a fertilised egg implanting in the womb.
The IUD
Can be used up to five days after unprotected sex, or up to five days after the earliest time you could have ovulated (eg day 19 of a regular 28 day cycle). Can also be used if more than one episode of unprotected sex has occurred in that cycle.
Almost 100 per cent success rate.
Needs to be left in place until after the next period, or can be kept as the permanent method of contraception.
Visit the Family Planning Association (FPA) website for more detailed information on emergency contraception
Where can I get emergency contraception?
- The Oaks Medical Centre offer an emergency contraception pill. Call 0115 925 4566 and ask for a same day appointment
- The NHS Walk in Centre, located near the London Road Island site, offers FREE emergency contraception (Levonelle pill only) 7am to 9pm every day of the year
- Emergency contraceptive pills (Levonelle) can be bought at most pharmacies for approximately £27 (a trained pharamacist must be on duty)
- Victoria Health Centre, Nottingham (0115 962 7627) can fit emergency IUDs.