Emergency Contraception Online Clinic

Levonorgestrel (Levonelle) emergency contraception

• Levonelle (brand name of levonorgestrel) is a pill that mimics the hormone progesterone
• It works by delaying or stopping the release of an egg (ovulation)
• It can prevent sperm from fertilising an egg that has already been released
• The tablet works best as soon as you can take it after unprotected sex
• You can take it up to 72 hours after unprotected sex
• Levonelle will not work if you are already pregnant
• If you are using a regular method of oral contraception, you can carry on taking this at your normal times
• If you vomit within 3 hours of taking the tablet, you should take another tablet.

Common Side Effects with Levonelle:

Nausea (feeling sick), Irregular bleeding until your next period, Tiredness, Headache, Lower abdominal pain

Levonelle may not be suitable if you:

Have small bowel disease (e.g. Crohn’s disease)

Have severe liver problems

History of uterine problems

You are taking certain medicines (such as for HIV, epilepsy, tuberculosis)

You are taking St John’s wort

ellaOne Emergency contraception

• ellaOne contains ulipristal acetate, which works in a similar way to levonorgestrel by preventing or delaying ovulation
• It is also effective if taken later on in the cycle
• The tablet work best if you take as soon as possible after unprotected sex
• It can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex
• ellaOne can be taken any time during the menstrual cycle, however will not work if you are already pregnant.
• If taking regular oral contraception, ellaOne may reduce its effectiveness, so a barrier method (such as condoms) is recommended until your next period
• Vomiting may occur with ellaOne. If this happens less than 3 hours after taking the tablet, another tablet can be taken
• ellaOne can be taken more than once during your menstrual cycle

 ellaOne may not be suitable if you:

Have severe asthma

Suffer from severe liver disease

Are allergic to any of its components

Are taking medicines to treat tuberculosis, HIV, epilepsy, fungal infections.

Take St. John’s wort

You think you may already be pregnant

Common Side Effects of ellaOne

• Nausea (feeling sick)
• Changes in mood
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Irregular bleeding
• Breast tenderness

Changes to your next Period

Both Levonelle and ellaOne may affect your next period. You may experience:

• Getting your period earlier or later than normal
• Your period may be shorter or lighter than normal- in this case, it may be recommended to take a pregnancy test as this can be a sign of pregnancy