Morning after pill myths

ella^® contains the substance ulipristal acetate which acts by modifying the activity of the natural hormone progesterone which is necessary for ovulation to occur. As a result, this medicine works by postponing ovulation.Your next period may come early or late, and your period also may be heavier, lighter, spotty (light bleeding that happens between menstrual periods), and more or less painful than is normal for you*. By your next menstrual cycle everything should return to its usual pattern. In fact, your fertility is likely to return rapidly after taking the morning after pill. If you have unprotected sex after taking the tablet, it will not stop you from becoming pregnant, so we recommend using a barrier method of contraception – like a condom or diaphragm – until your next period arrives.

ella^® has no long-lasting and usually mild side effects and ide effects differ for each woman and may include*:

-Headache
-Abdominal pain
-Tiredness (fatigue)
-Dizziness
-Nausea
-Breast pain.

It is unlikely that it will turn you into an over-emotional, chocolate-craving, acne ridden wreck.

Whilst ella^® is generally well tolerated, it is true that some people experience nausea after taking emergency contraception, but this isn’t true for most women. Some women experience nausea after taking emergency contraception, but this is normally very mild. If, for any reason, you vomit within three hours of taking emergency contraception it will not be effective and you will need to take another pill.

You must read the leaflet that comes with your medicine and checking you are not allergic to any ingredients.

There is no evidence that taking emergency contraception can have a long-lasting effect on your fertility. In fact, your fertility returns so quickly after using emergency contraception that we recommend using a barrier method of contraception such as a condom or a diaphragm until your next period.

The morning after pill will only affect your ovulation for the cycle you’re in. After your next period, your menstrual cycle should return to normal. Many women use emergency contraception who later go on to have children, if and when they choose to do so. You can take emergency contraception at several occasions in your lifetime and it still will have no effect on your future fertility.

There is no evidence that taking emergency contraception can have a long-lasting effect on your fertility. In fact, your fertility returns so quickly after using emergency contraception that we recommend using a barrier method of contraception such as a condom or a diaphragm until your next period.

The morning after pill will only affect your ovulation for the cycle you’re in. After your next period, your menstrual cycle should return to normal. Many women use emergency contraception who later go on to have children, if and when they choose to do so. You can take emergency contraception at several occasions in your lifetime and it still will have no effect on your future fertility.

As the name suggests, emergency contraception pills should be for an emergency and not used in place of regular contraception. The oral contraceptive pill works in a similar way to regular contraception – they both can affect ovulation – but they are not the same medicine.

It is also important to remember that the morning after pill cannot protect against sexually transmitted infections. Only condoms can do that.

If you are sexually active, it makes sense to have a regular contraceptive that works for you: whether that is condoms, oral contraceptive pills or an IUD, there are plenty of contraceptives to choose from! If you have more questions, you can make an appointment with your GP to talk about your choices.

The morning after pill has a specific window of effectiveness from when the unprotected sex took place. If you have sex again after taking emergency contraception, you should use a barrier method of contraception (like a condom or diaphragm) until your next period arrives. From then on, you should find a method of regular contraception that works for you to avoid having any accidents in the future.

If another condom splits, you should ask your pharmacist or healthcare practioner for advice if this is the case.

No, unfortunately it does not. If you’re having unprotected sex, pregnancy is not the only risk. There are also STIs to be aware of. The morning after pill only affects your ovulation, by stopping or delaying it to prevent pregnancy. The only contraceptive method that also protects against STIs is a condom.ella does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

If you have had unprotected sex, you should make an appointment to have an STI test with your doctor or at a sexual health clinic. Don’t wait for symptoms to appear, because many STIs can be symptomless.