Levonelle

Levonelle is an emergency contraception pill. You can take Levonelle if you’ve had unprotected sex and would like to prevent pregnancy.

Levonelle is effective up to 72 hours (3 days) after having sex. If it’s been longer than 72 hours, EllaOne might be more suitable for you.

You can take Levonelle if you are on other types of birth control, such as the contraceptive pill.

Levonelle does not protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Take 1 Levonelle tablet as soon as possible after unprotected sex. It’s preferable to take it within 12 hours after sex as this is when Levonelle is the most effective. You can take Levonelle a maximum of 72 hours after sex.

You can take Levonelle with or without food.

If you have taken Levonelle and find out you are pregnant, speak to your doctor.

You can take Levonelle if you are breastfeeding but it’s best to take it after you have breastfed your baby. Leave at least an 8 hour gap between taking Levonelle and breastfeeding your baby again.

Levonelle is not designed to be used as a regular method of contraception. There are other types of regular contraception that are much more effective. You can use Levonelle more than once in your menstrual cycle but this can cause irregular periods.

If you have unprotected sex after you’ve taken Levonelle, it will not prevent pregnancy. You’ll need to take another tablet to cover you for the second instance of unprotected sex.

If you throw up or have diarrhoea within 3 hours of taking a Levonelle tablet, speak to your doctor, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. You’ll need to take another tablet as your body will not have absorbed the first one you took.

Levonelle can affect your period by making it slightly earlier or later than normal. If your period is more than 5 days late or you experience any abnormal vaginal bleeding, speak to your doctor. You should also do a pregnancy test to check if you are pregnant.

Levonelle contains the active ingredient levonorgestrel. Levonorgestrel is a type of progestogen which is a synthetic hormone. Progestogens mimic the hormone progesterone that is found naturally in your body.

Levonorgestrel stops your ovaries from releasing an egg, a process known as ovulation. Levonelle can also stop sperm from fertilising your egg.

Levonelle is not effective after ovulation. Ovulation usually occurs halfway through your menstrual cycle, or roughly 2 weeks before your period. Everyone’s menstrual cycle is different, so it’s a good idea to track what stage of your cycle you are in.

If you have ovulated, it’s best to use the copper intrauterine device (IUD) as a form of emergency contraception. You can get this fitted at a sexual health or family planning clinic.

Levonelle is effective in preventing around 84% of potential pregnancies when taken within 72 hours. The sooner you take Levonelle, the more effective it will be in preventing pregnancy.

Remember that Levonelle is a type of emergency contraception. It’s best to have a regular method of contraception if you do not want to get pregnant. You should use Levonelle if you think that method has failed.

You may feel some side effects when taking Levonelle. These are usually temporary and will disappear within a few hours.

Very common side effects of Levonelle are:

• feeling sick
• irregular bleeding
• tiredness
• headache
• pain in your lower abdomen

Some common side effects of Levonelle are:

• being sick
• abnormal periods
• breast tenderness
• dizziness
• diarrhoea

If you think you’ve had an allergic reaction after taking Levonelle, call 999 immediately. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include:

• severe itching
• swelling of the face, throat, eyes or lips
• difficulty breathing

You can read the patient information leaflet for further information on side effects.

You can take Levonelle if you are a woman over the age of 16. If you are under 16, speak to your doctor, pharmacist or sexual health clinic first.

You should not use Levonelle if you are allergic to levonorgestrel or other ingredients in the tablet.

Speak to your doctor before taking Levonelle if:

• you have a history of liver problems
• you have ever had an ectopic pregnancy (where the baby grows outside the womb)
• you have a disease that affects your small bowel such as Crohn’s disease
• you have a condition called salpingitis where your fallopian tubes are inflamed

Your doctor may suggest using another type of emergency contraception if these conditions affect you. They’ll guide you towards the best treatment choice for you.

Levonelle can interfere with how other medications work. Some medicines can also stop Levonelle from working.

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking:

• epilepsy treatment such as phenobarbital, phenytoin or carbamazepine
• HIV treatment such as ritonavir
• tuberculosis treatment such as rifampicin
• antifungal medication like griseofulvin
• St John’s wort, a herbal remedy used to treat low moods
• ciclosporin, a medicine that suppresses the immune system

You may need an alternative method of emergency contraception.

If Levonelle is not suitable for you, you can take EllaOne. EllaOne is another type of morning after pill that can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Like Levonelle, EllaOne is most effective if you take it as soon as possible.

You can also get a copper IUD (intrauterine device) fitted. This is a non hormonal contraceptive that must be fitted by a doctor or nurse. The copper IUD can also be used as long term contraception. Speak to your doctor or sexual health clinic to find out more information.