Emergency Hormonal Contraceptives
The morning-after pill, also known as an emergency hormonal contraceptive pill, can be taken to follow unprotected sex to avoid pregnancy. It is recommended to take the pill as soon as possible after sexual intercourse. If you require the pill, one of our pharmacists will carry out a short assessment by asking you to fill in a short questionnaire to establish if the treatment is suitable for you.
Available medication options
There are two drugs available in the UK without a prescription that are used as Emergency Hormonal Contraceptives (EHC). Levonelle one-step and EllaOne. Levonelle One-step can be used for no longer than 72 hours after unprotected sex in order to prevent pregnancy. EllaOne is to be taken no longer than 120 hours after unprotected sex.
How does the service work?
The pharmacist will advise you as to which contraceptive pill is suitable for you during a consultation. The morning-after pill is not to be used regularly as it’s only for occasional emergency use when another form of contraceptive was not used or failed.
If you require the morning-after pill, please speak to a member of staff who will get you to fill in a short questionnaire. The pharmacist will go through the questionnaire with you and if it is suitable, they will supply the pill or they will refer you to another service if the tablet is not suitable for you.