Can I get the emergency contraceptive pill in advance?
You can use the emergency contraceptive pill in advance of having unprotected sex if:
- you are worried about your contraceptive method failing
- you are going on holiday
- you cannot get hold of emergency contraception easily
Ask your doctor or nurse for further information on getting advance emergency contraception. Most women can use the emergency contraceptive pill. This includes women who are breastfeeding and women who cannot usually use hormonal contraception, such as the combined pill and contraceptive patch.
However, the emergency contraceptive pill may interact with some medicines (see below).
Breastfeeding women
The emergency contraceptive pill can be taken when breastfeeding. Although small amounts of the hormones contained in the pill may pass into your breast milk, it is not thought to be harmful to your baby.
Pregnancy
There is no evidence that the emergency contraceptive pill harms a developing baby. If you are pregnant when you take the emergency contraceptive pill, or you become pregnant after taking it, you might have a slightly increased risk of developing an ectopic pregnancy. You can discuss this further with your doctor.
When to avoid it
The emergency contraceptive pill can interact with medicines used to treat epilepsy, HIV and tuberculosis, and with the complementary medicine St John’s Wort. These types of drugs are called enzyme inducers.
The dose of Levonelle or ellaOne may need to be increased if you are using this medication, or you may be advised to use the emergency intrauterine device (IUD) instead. It is always best to check with your doctor whether any of your medication may interact and change the effectiveness of the emergency pill.
Side effects of the emergency contraceptive pill
Taking the emergency contraceptive pill has not been shown to cause any serious or long-term health problems. However, it can sometimes have side effects.
Common side effects include:
- abdominal (tummy) pain
- irregular menstrual bleeding (spotting or heavy bleeding) before your next period is due
- nausea (feeling sick)
- tiredness
Less common side effects include:
- breast tenderness
- dizziness
- headache
- vomiting (being sick) - seek medical advice if you vomit within three hours of taking the emergency contraceptive pill
Any side effects will normally pass quickly.
When to see a doctor or nurse
If you are concerned about any symptoms after taking the emergency contraceptive pill, contact your doctor or speak to a nurse at a sexual health clinic.
You may also want to talk to a doctor or nurse if:
- you think you might be pregnant
- your next period is more than seven days late
- your period is shorter or lighter than usual
- you have any sudden or unusual pain in your lower abdomen (tummy)
Risks of emergency contraceptive
Ectopic pregnancy
The emergency contraceptive pill prevents a fertilised egg from implanting in your womb. However, if you become pregnant despite taking the emergency contraceptive pill, there is a slightly higher risk of it being an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilised egg implants outside of the womb, usually in the fallopian tube.
If you become pregnant after taking the emergency contraceptive pill, it is important that you see your doctor to rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. This is particularly important if you have previously had an ectopic pregnancy; fallopian tube surgery or pelvic inflammatory disease
You should always see your doctor if you develop severe abdominal (tummy) pain.
Emergency contraceptives interactions with other medicines
Other contraception
It is fine to take the emergency contraceptive pill if you are already taking a combined oral contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill.
If you needed to take the emergency contraceptive pill because you forgot to take some of your regular contraceptive pills or did not use your patch or vaginal ring correctly, you should take your next contraceptive pill, insert a new ring or apply a new patch within 12 hours of taking the emergency contraceptive pill.
You should then continue taking your regular contraceptive pill as normal. You will need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for:
- the next seven days if you use the patch, ring or combined pill
- the next two days if you use the progestogen-only pill
Other medicines
The emergency contraceptive pill may interact with some other medicines. This includes some immunosuppressant drugs (medicine that weakens the immune systrem), such as ciclosporin, and medicines used to treat liver disease.
There should be no interaction between the emergency contraceptive pill and most antibiotics.
If you want to check that your medicines are safe to take with the emergency contraceptive pill, ask your doctor or a pharmacist. You should also read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicines.
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