Morning after pill

All morning after pills work in the same way. They can prevent pregnancy by:

• stopping or delaying ovulation, which is when your body releases an egg to be fertilised
• thickening the cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to enter your womb (uterus)
• thinning the lining of the uterus, so a pregnancy cannot develop if an egg does get fertilised

These 3 actions make it very unlikely that you’ll get pregnant. The morning after pill simply delays an egg from being released. It’s not a form of abortion, and it does not affect your fertility in any way.

Levonelle and generic levonorgestrel can be taken up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex. However, it is most effective within the first 24 hours, and gets less effective by day 3.

ellaOne can be taken up to 120 hours (5 days) after you have sex, and is 98% effective on all 5 days.

The morning after pill will only prevent pregnancy after you have unprotected sex. If you take it and then have unprotected sex again, you will be at risk of pregnancy.

When will the morning after pill not work?

If you have already ovulated, the morning after pill will not work. Ovulation usually happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle or around 10 to 16 days after your period. If you track your periods and know you ovulated at the time you had unprotected sex, then a sperm and an egg may have already met, meaning a morning after pill would not have any effect.

If this has happened, the best emergency contraception to use is the copper coil. Your GP or local sexual health clinic can insert it up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex to prevent a pregnancy, even if you have ovulated.

If you are already pregnant and take the morning after pill, it will not stop that pregnancy. It does not impact the developing foetus if you take it without realising that you are pregnant. Speak to your doctor if you find out you’re pregnant after taking the morning after pill – they can give you further information and support on other options.

Emergency contraception does not protect you from catching an STI. Taking regular STI tests if you have unprotected sex can help keep you and your sexual partners safe.

Swallow the morning after pill whole with water as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. You can take it at any time of the day, with or without food.

Levonelle and levonorgestrel should be taken:

• as a single dose
• up to 72 hours (3 days) after sex, but sooner is better
• it will be most effective if taken within 24 hours

ellaOne should be taken:

• as a single dose
• up to 120 hours (5 days) after sex, but sooner is better

If you throw up or have diarrhoea within 3 hours of taking the pill, you need to take another pill to prevent pregnancy, as your body has not had enough time to absorb the medication.

If you are concerned about this occurring when taking the morning after pill, you can ask your doctor, pharmacist, or sexual health clinic for more information on the intrauterine device (IUD). The IUD is an effective form of emergency contraception that is not affected by vomiting or diarrhoea.

How often can you take the morning after pill?

You can take the morning after pill more than once in your menstrual cycle, but this can cause irregular periods and may increase the chance of getting side effects,so it’s not recommended.

Using a regular form of contraception, such as the contraceptive pill (‘the pill’) or a copper IUD (‘the coil’) is a more reliable method of preventing pregnancy.

➤ For more guidance on contraceptive methods check out our guide.

The morning after pill is widely available at pharmacies and clinics in the UK. It’s also available from regulated, safe, and trusted online doctor services like ZAVA.

Can you buy the morning after pill online?

Yes, you can buy a morning after pill online from pharmacies and doctor services. It’s important to only request emergency contraception online from trusted services like ZAVA that are monitored and regulated to ensure you receive safe and genuine medication.

Getting the morning after pill online from ZAVA is quick and convenient, with no need for a face-to-face appointment. To order the morning after pill online, you can simply:

1. Complete a short online medical questionnaire: Share details about your health so our doctors can ensure emergency contraception is right for you.
2. Order and pay online: Sign in or create your ZAVA account, select the morning after pill, and securely make your payment.
3. Doctor review and approval: A UK-licensed doctor will check your health information and approve your request if the morning after pill is safe and appropriate for you.
4. Fast and discreet delivery: If approved, the morning after pill will be delivered discreetly to your home or a local post office for collection with our ‘Next Day Express Delivery’ option.

How does morning after pill delivery work?

If you need the morning after pill, you’ll want it delivered as soon as possible. If you buy a morning after pill online from ZAVA, we have a next day delivery option to your home, workplace, or local Post Office in discreet, unbranded packaging. This means, if your order is approved before 6pm it will be delivered:

• the next day (Monday to Friday)
• by 1pm on Saturday (if you order on Friday)

However, you should be sure to check your local post office collection times and take into account Sunday and holiday closing hours.

➤ For more information on deliveries, visit our delivery, collection and refunds information page.

How much is the morning after pill?

The morning after pill starts at £11.95 (for generic Levonelle) if you request it with ZAVA but the price can vary depending on which type you buy. For branded Levonelle, prices start at £18.95. For ellaOne, which is viewed as the most effective morning after pill and which can be used for 5 days after unprotected sex, our prices start at £29.95.

Please note: These prices may be subject to change. Please check the product page for the morning after pill of your choice for further information.

Can I get the morning after pill for free?

Yes, you can get the morning after pill for free from certain NHS services. These include:

• sexual health clinics
• selected pharmacies
• NHS walk-in centres
• GP surgeries

You usually need to book an appointment or visit the centre or clinic in person to get the morning after pill. Your GP surgery may offer telephone appointments on the same day if you call first thing in the morning. If your doctor prescribes you the morning after pill, you will not need to pay for this prescription. All prescribed contraceptives are free on the NHS. Note that some GP surgeries close at the weekend but you can contact 111 instead.

Can you get the morning after pill over the counter?

Yes, you can get both ellaOne and Levonelle over the counter from a pharmacist. They will usually ask you a few questions just to make sure the pill of your choice is suitable based on when you had unprotected sex and your medical history.

The morning after pill is safe for most women to take, including women who cannot take the combined contraceptive pill.

It’s safe to take if you are already using contraceptives like the patch, ring, injection, or pill. However, you should speak to your doctor if you use any kind of hormonal contraception, as you may need to wait before taking your next dose.

The morning after pill may not be suitable if you:

• have an allergy to any of its ingredients
• have severe asthma
• take medicines to treat HIV, epilepsy, or tuberculosis (TB)
• take St John’s wort, a herbal product
• take medications to lower stomach acid levels, like omeprazole
• are currently taking antibiotics called rifampicin and rifabutin
• are overweight or obese, as it can be significantly less effective depending on your weight (a body mass index greater than 26kg/m² or body weight greater than 70kg)

Which morning after pill is the best?

ellaOne is often considered the ‘best’ morning after pill as it is the most effective pill in preventing pregnancy. It’s 98% effective in preventing pregnancy throughout the 120 hours you can take it. Levonelle and generic levonorgestrel are 95% effective if you take them within 24 hours, 85% effective when taken within 25 to 48 hours, and 58% effective when taken between 49 to 72 hours.

However, as they contain different medicines, you may get different side effects from each medication. So what is best for one person might not be suitable for you.

What if I throw up after taking the morning after pill?

If you throw up within 3 hours of taking either ellaOne or Levonelle, you should take another tablet as soon as possible. The medication will not have been absorbed and will not be effective in preventing pregnancy.

Can I get pregnant after taking the morning after pill?

There is a very small chance that you can still get pregnant after taking the morning after pill. It will not work if you’ve already ovulated or are already pregnant. No contraceptive method is 100% effective, which means there’s always a risk of pregnancy after sex.

The morning after pill does not have any long term effects on fertility. You’ll be able to try for a baby immediately after you take the pill but it may interfere with your next period and ovulation.

If you have unprotected sex after taking the morning after pill, you must use emergency contraception again if you want to prevent pregnancy.

Can I take my usual contraceptive pill at the same time?

You may have to wait to take your regular contraceptive pill after using the morning after pill, and you may need to use additional contraception. It depends what type of morning after pill you’ve taken, and the contraceptive pill you’re on.

Always ask a healthcare professional for advice and read the patient information leaflet in your pack of pills as the morning after pill can affect the effectiveness of other contraceptive methods. For example, if you take ellaOne, you must use condoms as well as take your regular contraceptive pill until you get your period. ellaOne can make normal contraceptive pills temporarily less effective.

How can you tell if the morning after pill worked?

You can only tell if the morning after pill worked when you get your next period. You should take a pregnancy test if your next period is more than 7 days late or you get pregnancy symptoms like nausea or irregular bleeding that last for longer than a few days after you took the pill.

Can I take the morning after pill while breastfeeding?

You can take the morning after pill while breastfeeding but you will have to wait after taking it before you can breastfeed again. This is because the active ingredient can be secreted into your breast milk.

For Levonelle and generic levonorgestrel, you should take the pill straight after feeding and have already expressed extra milk if possible. Then, avoid breastfeeding for at least 8 hours or bottle feed.

For ellaOne, there is not enough data on how the active ingredient can affect babies when breastfeeding. Because of this, it’s recommended to avoid breastfeeding for 1 week after taking it. During this week, express and discard your breast milk. You’ll need to express beforehand and bottle feed. If this doesn’t work for you, Levonelle or the copper coil may be a better option.

How soon after taking the morning after pill can I have sex?

You can have sex whenever you want after taking the morning after pill but if you have unprotected sex again, it won’t work to prevent that pregnancy. You’d need to take another morning after pill or make sure you use another form of contraception like condoms.

Can a man buy the morning after pill in the UK?

A man can buy the morning after pill in the UK on a woman’s behalf, but it’s up to the pharmacist or doctor whether they will allow it. Whether you get it from a clinic, pharmacy, or online, the healthcare professional providing the morning after pill needs to know who is taking the medication to make sure it’s safe and suitable. They also need your consent that you’re happy to take the pill and understand the pros and cons.

If you get the morning after pill with ZAVA, you only need to answer a few online questions about your health, without talking to anyone face-to-face. Men cannot buy the morning after pill from ZAVA.

Does the morning after pill cause weight gain?

No, there is no evidence the morning after pill causes weight. As it’s only 1 dose, it’s not likely to cause any long-term effects.

Can you drink alcohol after taking the morning after pill?

Yes, you can drink alcohol after taking either morning after pill. It won’t reduce its effectiveness, but be careful drinking too much after taking it. Vomiting within 3 hours means you’d need to take another dose. If you get any side effects after taking the morning after pill, we recommend avoiding alcohol or it may make you feel worse.

How soon should you take a morning after pill?

You should take your morning after pill as soon as you can after having unprotected sex.

If you take Levonelle, it is most effective in the first 24 hours, then gets less effective in days 2 and 3 after having sex. It stops being effective 3 days after unprotected sex.

If you take ellaOne, you can take it any time in the first 5 days after having unprotected sex, and it’s just as effective. But it’s still better to take it as soon as possible. If you wait longer, then there’s a chance an egg could be released and meet a sperm, which would make a morning after pill taken later, ineffective.

Can emergency contraception still work if I’m taking Mounjaro?

Possibly not. There is a risk that your morning after pill could be affected by weight loss medications like Mounjaro (tirzepatide).

Mounjaro can potentially reduce the absorption of levonorgestrel and make it less effective. And, although there is no current research on the effectiveness of ellaOne when taking Mounjaro there is still a potential risk of it not working if you take Mounjaro at the same time.

The most safe, effective and ongoing contraceptive you can take during your weight loss treatment with Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is the copper coil, which is:

• accessible at some local GPs or sexual health clinics
• can be inserted up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex or ovulation for emergency contraception
• can be inserted for regular contraception in other times in the cycle if pregnancy has been ruled out
• not affected by Mounjaro

Alternative GLP-1s and the morning after pill

If you are taking a different glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist for weight loss, for example – Wegovy (semaglutide) or Nevolat (liraglutide), you can use levonorgestrel (Levonelle), ellaOne, or the copper coil and these options will remain effective during your weight loss treatment.