Morning After Pill

How does the emergency contraception service work?

1

Get in touch

Get in touch

You can either walk in or give us a call on 01276 21002 if you think you may need this service
Call now

2

Private consultation with the pharmacist

Private Consultation

The pharmacist will ask you some questions to assess which option is best for you. Moreover, the pharmacist will check if you are eligible for free emergency contraception under the NHS service.

3

Get the right treatment

Get the right option

The pharmacist will either supply the morning after pill or refer you to an appropriate service if the morning after pill is not appropriate in your situation.

We are here if you need advice

If you’re worried that you might become pregnant, we’re here to help. The morning after pill can help to prevent pregnancy if you take it shortly after sex.

Call us on 01276 21002, and we can talk about whether the pill would be right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some people may be able to get the morning after pill free on the NHS; you can ask us whether this applies to you. Otherwise, you can buy the pill for between £20 and £25.

If you get in touch with us, we can talk about whether the morning after pill would suit your situation. You can ask us about this even if you’re under 16. We know this can be a stressful subject, and we’ll do whatever we can to make it easier for you.

The pill must be taken very shortly after sex; the sooner you take it, the more effective it is. It won’t help you if you’re already pregnant, or if it’s been more than 5 days since the sex you’re concerned about.

You can’t take the morning after pill if you’re intolerant to the sugar or allergic to any of the ingredients. Feel free to ask us about whether any allergies you have will be a concern.

If you’ve taken the pill recently, you can’t take it again during the same monthly menstrual cycle.

Before taking the pill, let us know if there’s any reason you think you might not be able to take it. In particular, please tell us if:

  • you’re taking any other medication
  • you have a digestive disorder
  • you’ve ever had an ectopic pregnancy
  • you’re currently breastfeeding

The sooner after unprotected sex you take the morning after pill, the more likely it is to be effective. That said, it’s not guaranteed to prevent pregnancy. About 2% of people who take the morning after pill after unprotected sex may still become pregnant.

If you take the morning after pill within 24 hours – or, better, within 12 hours – it’s very likely to prevent pregnancy. It still has an effect up to 5 days after sex, but, the longer you wait, the less likely it is to work. You should stay aware of the possibility that you may become pregnant.

If you’re already pregnant, the morning after pill won’t stop the pregnancy.

The morning after pill helps to delay ovulation, which is part of the reason it’s important to take it as soon as possible. If you’ve already ovulated this month, the pill won’t be effective.

The morning after pill helps to prevent pregnancy, but it has no effect against sexually transmitted infections. If you think you might have an STI, you should contact a sexual health clinic straight away. Woking Sexual Health Clinic and Buryfields Sexual Health Clinic are both within fifteen miles of our pharmacy.

You can use the morning after pill as an emergency measure if for any reason you’ve had unprotected sex, but it’s best not to rely on it as your only form of contraception, as it’s not guaranteed to be effective and doesn’t prevent STDs. You can speak privately to our pharmacist, your GP or a family planning clinic if you have any questions about what contraception to use.

There are two different morning after pills: Levonelle and ellaOne. You should read the information sheet that comes with the pill to make sure you know which one you’re taking and how it works.

Put the pill on your tongue and swallow it with water; don’t chew it.

Make a note of the time you take the pill. If you throw up at some point in the next three hours, you might need to take another one. Ask us for advice.

There are some potential morning after pill side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, dizziness, headaches, unusual menstrual bleeding and tenderness in the breasts. Not everyone experiences these, and they’ll usually go away within a few days.

If you have trouble breathing, or if you notice swelling in your face or throat, you should get medical help straight away.

It’s normal for your cycle to be thrown off slightly after taking the pill, but take a pregnancy test if your period is noticeably lighter or heavier than usual, or if it’s late by six or more days.

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