Morning After Pill

Once an online consultation has been been approved by our medical team, our pharmacy will safely prepare and ship your treatment to you in discreet packaging using Royal Mail or DPD.

Morning After Pill Online

If you have engaged in sexual intercourse with no contraception and are worried about getting pregnant, emergency contraception can help. One of these - perhaps the most popular - is the morning after pill. 

There are two main types of emergency contraception, Levonelle, and EllaOne. This page will give you all the information you will need to know about buying the morning after pill, from how it works, when to take it, and what side effects to look out for.

What is the morning after pill?

The morning-after pill is the name given to the emergency contraception which is used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Although it is called 'the morning after pill', you can take Ellaone for up to five days after having unprotected intercourse and Levonelle after 3 days of unprotected intercourse. However, the sooner you take it after having sex, the more effective it will be.

There are two main emergency contraceptive pills in the UK:

• Levonelle: effective for up to 72 hours or 3 days after unprotected sex. Contains the active ingredient levonorgestrel, which is a synthetic version of the human sex hormone progesterone.
• EllaOne: effective for up to 120 hours after unprotected sex (5 days). Contains the active ingredient ulipristal acetate. This interferes with how progesterone works.

How does the morning after pill work?

The morning-after pill works by delaying ovulation in two different ways. As the contraceptive pill contains levonorgestrel, it works by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg. Secondly, when taken later, it works by altering the womb so that if the egg has already been fertilised, the egg won’t be able to embed into the lining. By operating in these two different ways, the pill can be effective for up to five days after conception depending on which treatment you opt for. 

It’s important to remember that this kind of contraception is for use in an emergency only, and should not be relied upon regularly. If you find that you are needing the morning-after pill quite often, then you may want to consider our range of contraceptive pills.

Please note, emergency contraception will only stop you from getting pregnant, it will not work if you are already pregnant. If you are already pregnant, do not take this medication and consult a doctor to discuss your options.

How effective is the morning after pill?

The effectiveness of the morning after pill largely depends on where you are in your cycle and how soon after intercourse you take it. It is over 95% effective if you take it within 24 hours and have not yet ovulated, and over 80% effective if you have taken it within 48 hours of having sex. You can take EllaOne up to five days after having unprotected sex, but it becomes progressively less effective.

In addition, you must not constantly rely on the morning after pill as it’s not a frequently reliable form of contraception. If possible, we recommend using a more permanent solution, like contraceptive medication or a copper IUD as they are more effective. In fact, less than 0.1% of women that use an IUD become pregnant. 

When to take the morning after pill

You should only take the morning-after pill if you have had unprotected sex and are worried about getting pregnant.

You should also take the morning-after pill if you think that your contraception method may have failed. This includes situations like:

• Missing a pill or not waiting long enough when starting to take the pill (you will usually need to take it for seven days before you are covered against accidental pregnancies)
• Throwing up or experiencing diarrhea soon after taking a contraceptive pill and not taking another one
• Condoms splitting or falling off during intercourse
• Having sex when your contraceptive method has expired (this could be if you are due a contraceptive injection or if your IUD or implant is due to be changed)

Take the morning after pill as soon as you realise that you have had unprotected sex. It is named the morning after pill because more people have sex at night and may realise that they need emergency contraception in the morning. However, if, for example, you had unprotected sex in the morning, you could take the morning after pill on the same day. The sooner you take the emergency contraceptive pill, the more effective it will be.

How long after sex can you take the morning after pill?
You can take the morning after pill immediately after having unprotected sex, but you should be sure to take it as soon as you possibly can. Levonelle can only be taken up to three days after having unprotected sex, but EllaOne can be taken up to five days.

How long does the morning after pill work for?

The morning after pill only works for previous instances of having unprotected sex. If you have unprotected sex again and would like the morning after pill to be effective, you will need to take another emergency contraception pill. If this happens regularly, speak to your doctor about other forms of contraception. 

How often can you take the morning after pill?

There is not a specific limit to how many times you can take the morning after pill; however, it isn't intended as a method of regular contraception. Taking it too often can cause your cycles to be irregular and increase side effects. It is also not as reliable as other forms of contraception.

If you find that you take the morning after pill more often than desirable - for example, more than once every six months - we recommend speaking to a doctor about your contraception options. Your method of contraception may not be appropriate for you, and your doctor will be able to recommend another.

Can you take the morning after pill twice in one week?

Yes, you can take the morning after pill twice in one week, if necessary. However, it is not recommended for regular use, so if you need to regularly take it, we recommend speaking to a doctor about your contraceptive options.

Morning after pill side effects

Like with any medication, there are side effects to the morning-after pill. These are not serious and usually subside after a couple of days. You may experience the following:

• Nausea and vomiting - if you vomit within three hours of taking the pill, you must take another
• Headaches
• Tenderness in the breasts
• Stomach pain
• Bleeding before your period
• Heavier or lighter period
• Delayed period

There are no serious side effects to the morning-after pill. However, if you feel unusually ill after taking the morning-after pill, or experience any of these symptoms severely or for a prolonged period of time, you should seek medical care.

Period after morning after pill

One of the main side effects of the morning-after pill is that your period can change. It may be delayed for a few days, or it could be heavier or lighter than usual. If you are waiting more than a few days for your period or if you only have a short, very light period, then we recommend taking a pregnancy test.

You may also experience some bleeding straight after taking the morning-after pill. This is normal, but it isn't your period. Keep an eye out for this and make sure that you are aware that it is not your period.

Can the morning after pill delay your period?

The morning after pill can certainly delay your period by a few days. If it is any later than a few days, you should take a pregnancy test. If this is positive, speak to your doctor who will be able to advise you on your options. Cloud Pharmacy offers period delay tablets.

Where can I get the morning after pill?

You can buy the morning-after pill through the Cloud Pharmacy website once an online consultation has been approved by one of our experienced UK prescribers. Once the consultation has been accepted we will send the agreed treatment to you the very next day (if ordered before 3:30pm) in discreet packaging. Please note, Cloud Pharmacy does not provide the morning after pill if you have already had unprotected sex, we only provide it for those who wish to keep it just in case an unprotected event happens.