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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A doctor can recommend and prescribe the right emergency pill by video; the copper IUD is fitted in person.
- Time limits: levonorgestrel within 3 days (72 hours) of unprotected sex, ulipristal acetate within 5 days (120 hours), and the copper IUD within 5 days. The sooner, the better.
- How well it works: the copper IUD prevents more than 99% of pregnancies. With the pills, about 1 to 3 in 100 women still become pregnant, depending on the pill and the timing.
- How the pills work: they delay ovulation, so they cannot help once you have ovulated. They do not cause an abortion and do not affect future fertility.
- Emergency: call 112 for sudden, sharp pain low in the tummy with feeling very dizzy, fainting or looking very pale, which can mean an ectopic pregnancy.
Do not wait for a video appointment if you have been sexually assaulted and are hurt or in danger: call 112 or go to an emergency department, where you can also get emergency contraception, tests and support. Call 112 for sudden, sharp pain low in the tummy with feeling very dizzy, fainting or looking very pale.
Can an online doctor help with emergency contraception?
Yes, usually. Choosing emergency contraception depends on a few facts rather than tests: how long ago you had sex, where you are in your cycle, your weight, and any medicines that make the pills work less well. A doctor can go through these by video, recommend ulipristal acetate or levonorgestrel, and may prescribe it. The copper IUD, the most effective option, has to be fitted in person by a trained doctor or nurse, and the doctor tells you when it is worth arranging.
How an online consultation helps with emergency contraception
- The right pill for your timing: Levonorgestrel works up to 3 days after sex and ulipristal acetate up to 5 days; the doctor checks which one still fits.
- Checks that change the choice: Your weight, medicines that interact, breastfeeding and recent hormonal contraception all affect which pill works best.
- When the IUD is better: If you may already have ovulated, or the pills are less likely to work for you, the doctor tells you to arrange a copper IUD.
- Contraception from now on: When to start or restart a regular method, how long to use condoms, and when to do a pregnancy test.
What the doctor checks in an online emergency contraception consultation
The doctor asks first about anything that needs urgent care, then about the facts that decide which method will work. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: severe pain low in the tummy, unusual bleeding, or a pregnancy that may have started earlier in the cycle.
- Timing: when you had unprotected sex, and whether there were other times since your last period.
- Your cycle: the first day of your last period and how long your cycles usually are, to estimate when you ovulate.
- What went wrong: a split or slipped condom, missed pills, or a patch, ring or injection that was late, and what you use normally.
- Weight and medicines: your weight, and medicines that make the liver clear hormones faster, such as some epilepsy and tuberculosis medicines and St John’s wort.
- Other situations: breastfeeding, severe asthma, a recent birth or pregnancy loss, and any emergency pill already taken in this cycle.
Before the call, note the date of your last period and when you had sex. If you could already be pregnant from earlier in the cycle, the doctor may ask you to do a pregnancy test first.
What are the types of emergency contraception?
There are 2 types: the copper intrauterine device (IUD), often called the copper coil, and the emergency contraceptive pill, often called the morning-after pill. The pill comes in 2 kinds, with different time limits:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Method | Time limit after unprotected sex | How it works | How well it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper IUD | Up to 5 days, or up to 5 days after the earliest likely date of ovulation | Copper stops sperm and egg from meeting | Most effective: fewer than 1 in 1,000 women become pregnant | Fitted in person; can stay in as your contraception for 5 or 10 years |
| Ulipristal acetate pill | Up to 5 days (120 hours) | Delays ovulation | About 1 to 2 in 100 women become pregnant; works better than levonorgestrel | Wait 5 days before starting or restarting hormonal contraception |
| Levonorgestrel pill | Up to 3 days (72 hours); it seems not to work after 4 days | Delays ovulation | Up to about 3 in 100 women become pregnant | Hormonal contraception can restart straight away; may work less well above 70 kg or a BMI of 26 |
An older method, taking several combined contraceptive pills, works less well and causes more sickness, so the 2 dedicated emergency pills or the copper IUD are used instead.
How does the morning-after pill work?
Both emergency pills work mainly by delaying ovulation, the release of an egg, so that sperm already in the body cannot meet one. This is why they cannot help once ovulation has happened, and why the copper IUD, which still works after ovulation, is more effective. The pills do not end a pregnancy that has already started, do not harm a developing pregnancy, and do not affect your fertility in the future.
How effective is the morning-after pill?
Very effective, but less effective than the copper IUD. In the World Health Organization’s figures, about 1.2 in 100 women who take ulipristal acetate become pregnant, and between 1.2 and 2.1 in 100 after levonorgestrel. With a copper IUD fitted within 5 days, fewer than 1 in 1,000 women become pregnant. Whichever pill you take, it works best the sooner you take it.
Why the morning-after pill sometimes fails
- Ovulation has already happened: the pills only delay ovulation, so they do not work after it.
- It was taken late: levonorgestrel seems not to work after 4 days, and every pill works better earlier.
- Vomiting within 3 hours: the pill may not have been absorbed, and another dose or an IUD may be needed.
- Interacting medicines: some epilepsy and tuberculosis medicines and St John’s wort make both pills work less well.
- Higher body weight: levonorgestrel may work less well above 70 kg or a BMI of 26, and both pills may work less well with a BMI over 30.
- Sex later in the same cycle: an emergency pill does not protect you from unprotected sex after you take it.
Can you still get pregnant after taking the morning-after pill?
Yes, sometimes, for the reasons above. That is why a pregnancy test is advised 3 weeks after the unprotected sex, and if your period is more than 7 days late or unusually light or short.
When and how should you take the morning-after pill?
Take it as soon as you can after unprotected sex. Despite the name, you do not have to wait until the morning. These situations change what to do:
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| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You vomit within 3 hours of taking it | Contact a pharmacist or doctor promptly: you may need another dose or an IUD |
| You vomit more than 3 hours after taking it | Nothing more: the pill has been absorbed |
| You took ulipristal acetate and use the pill, patch or ring | Wait 5 days before restarting and use condoms meanwhile, then for 7 more days (2 days for the progestogen-only pill) |
| You took levonorgestrel and use the pill, patch or ring | Restart straight away, and use condoms for 7 days (2 days for the progestogen-only pill) |
| You have unprotected sex again in the same cycle | Emergency contraception can be used again |
| You took ulipristal acetate and need emergency contraception again within 5 days | Use ulipristal acetate again, not levonorgestrel, which can make it work less well |
Can you take the morning-after pill more than once?
Yes. Either pill can be taken again if you have unprotected sex again in the same cycle, and there are no known health risks from repeated use, although it can make your periods irregular. If you need it often, a regular method of contraception protects you far better, and the doctor can help you choose one.
After a birth, a miscarriage or an abortion
You do not need emergency contraception for sex in the first 21 days after giving birth, or in the first 5 days after a miscarriage or an abortion. After that, the usual time limits apply.
Side effects of the morning-after pill, and what happens to your period
Most people have no side effects, and serious ones are rare. The most common are headache, feeling sick and period-type pain, each reported by around 1 in 10 users. Some people have tender breasts, tiredness, dizziness or some spotting. Most side effects pass within a few days.
Can the morning-after pill delay your period?
Yes, it can change the timing of your next period. In studies of ulipristal acetate, 75% of women had their next period on time or within 7 days of the expected date, and about 20% had it more than 7 days late. Your period may also come a few days early, or be more painful than usual.
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| What you notice | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Period a few days early or late | A common effect of the pill | Nothing, if the period is normal |
| Spotting in the days after | A common effect of the pill | Nothing, unless it is heavy or painful |
| Period more than 7 days late, or lighter or shorter than usual | Possible pregnancy | Do a pregnancy test |
| No period 3 weeks after the unprotected sex | Possible pregnancy | Do a pregnancy test |
| Sudden or unusual pain low in the tummy, especially on one side | Possible ectopic pregnancy | Urgent assessment; call 112 if it is severe or you feel faint |
Does the morning-after pill cause an abortion?
No. Emergency pills prevent or delay ovulation. They cannot end a pregnancy that has already started, and they do not harm one.
Where can you get emergency contraception?
The emergency pill is available from most pharmacies, from sexual health and family planning clinics, from doctors, and after an online consultation. The copper IUD needs an appointment with a doctor or nurse trained to fit it, usually at a sexual health clinic or a doctor’s surgery.
- At a pharmacy: you can usually get the pill after a short, private conversation with the pharmacist. Ask for it by its ingredient name, levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate.
- In the UK: emergency contraception is free from NHS sexual health clinics and GP surgeries, and the pill is free from most pharmacies.
- In Ireland: the pill is available directly from pharmacists, and it is free for eligible women under the HSE’s free contraception scheme.
- Online: a doctor can check which pill suits you and, if appropriate, prescribe it for you to collect from a pharmacy near you.
Which morning-after pill is best?
The copper IUD is the most effective emergency method. Of the pills, ulipristal acetate works better than levonorgestrel, and it is the one to take 3 to 5 days after sex, or if you weigh more than 70 kg. Levonorgestrel suits people who are breastfeeding and do not want to pause feeds, or who want to restart hormonal contraception straight away.
Which emergency contraception might the doctor recommend?
The choice depends on the timing, your cycle, your weight and your medicines. This is the framework the doctors use, in line with UK sexual health guidance:
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| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unprotected sex in the last 3 days | Ulipristal acetate or levonorgestrel as soon as possible, or a copper IUD | Yes | If you choose the copper IUD |
| Unprotected sex 3 to 5 days ago | Ulipristal acetate, or a copper IUD | Yes | If you choose the copper IUD |
| You weigh more than 70 kg or have a BMI over 26 | Ulipristal acetate, or a copper IUD | Yes | If you choose the copper IUD |
| You take medicines that make the liver clear hormones faster | A copper IUD; another pill plan if the IUD is not possible | Partly | For the copper IUD |
| You may already have ovulated | A copper IUD, which still works after ovulation | Partly | For the fitting, within 5 days of the earliest likely ovulation |
| Unprotected sex more than 5 days ago | A copper IUD if you are still within 5 days of the earliest likely ovulation; otherwise a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the sex | Yes, to assess | For the IUD, or if the test is positive |
| Sexual assault | Emergency care, emergency contraception, tests and support | No | Go to an emergency department or call 112 |
| Sudden, severe pain low in the tummy after emergency contraception | Emergency assessment for an ectopic pregnancy | No | Call 112 now |
Not sure which emergency contraception you need? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Emergency contraception options
What you can do yourself
- Act as soon as you can: both pills work better the earlier they are taken.
- At a pharmacy, ask for the pill by ingredient name: levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate.
- If you vomit within 3 hours of taking it, contact a pharmacist or doctor promptly.
- Use condoms, or avoid sex, until your regular contraception is working again: the pill does not protect you from sex later in the cycle.
- Do a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the unprotected sex, or sooner if your period is more than 7 days late.
- Think about a test for sexually transmitted infections: emergency contraception does not protect against them.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. After checking the timing, your cycle, your weight and your other medicines, the doctor may prescribe ulipristal acetate or levonorgestrel, and may also prescribe a regular method for you to start afterwards, such as the progestogen-only pill. If the copper IUD is the better option, the doctor tells you so and helps you plan the fitting. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Waiting until the next morning. Taking levonorgestrel within 5 days after ulipristal acetate, which can make it work less well. Relying on the morning-after pill as your usual contraception: a regular method is far more effective.
Special situations
Breastfeeding
Levonorgestrel can be used while breastfeeding. The ulipristal acetate leaflet advises not breastfeeding for a week after taking it, and expressing and discarding the milk during that week, so tell the doctor if you are breastfeeding.
If you were using hormonal contraception
If you missed pills or used a patch or ring late, the restart rules depend on which emergency pill you take: straight away after levonorgestrel, and 5 days after ulipristal acetate, because hormones taken in the days after it can make it work less well. The missed pill page explains when a missed pill means you need emergency contraception.
After a condom splits or slips
The same time limits apply. The condoms page covers why condoms fail and how to prevent it, and the doctor can also talk through testing for sexually transmitted infections.
While travelling in Europe
Count the hours from the time you had sex, not by the clock at your destination. Pharmacists recognise the ingredient names, levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate. If travel sickness makes you vomit within 3 hours of the pill, you may need another dose. A doctor by video can help you find where a copper IUD can be fitted near where you are staying.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
Young people under 18 who need emergency contraception can get it from a pharmacy, a sexual health or family planning clinic, or a local doctor.
When emergency contraception is handled online, and when you need in-person care
Handled online: choosing between ulipristal acetate and levonorgestrel, checking weight, medicines and breastfeeding, prescribing the pill when it is suitable, restarting or starting regular contraception, and advice on pregnancy tests and testing for infections.
In-person care: fitting a copper IUD, sexual assault, a positive pregnancy test, and any pain or bleeding that could mean an ectopic pregnancy.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- sudden, sharp and intense pain in the tummy, with feeling very dizzy or fainting
- tummy pain with feeling sick and looking very pale, if you could be pregnant
- sexual assault, if you are hurt or in danger
Get medical advice the same day for:
- vomiting within 3 hours of taking an emergency pill
- a positive pregnancy test after emergency contraception
- a period that is more than 7 days late, or lighter or shorter than usual, after emergency contraception
- new or unusual pain low in the tummy on one side, or pain in the tip of your shoulder, after emergency contraception
- sexual assault, even without injuries: emergency contraception, tests and support work best when started early
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about what happened: say when you had sex, the date of your last period, what contraception you use, and any medicines you take.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Noticed a new symptom after taking emergency contraception? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Missed Pill can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about emergency contraception
How long after sex can you take the morning-after pill?
Levonorgestrel within 3 days (72 hours) and ulipristal acetate within 5 days (120 hours). A copper IUD can be fitted up to 5 days after sex, or up to 5 days after the earliest likely date of ovulation. Every method works better the sooner it is used.
How effective is the morning-after pill?
Very effective, but not perfect. About 1 to 3 in 100 women who take an emergency pill still become pregnant, depending on the pill and the timing. A copper IUD is the most effective option: fewer than 1 in 1,000 women become pregnant.
How does the morning-after pill work?
The morning-after pill delays ovulation, the release of an egg, so that sperm cannot meet one. That is why it does not work if you have already ovulated. It does not end or harm a pregnancy that has already started.
Is the morning-after pill the same as the abortion pill?
No. The morning-after pill is emergency contraception: it delays ovulation so that a pregnancy does not start, and it does not end or harm a pregnancy that has already begun. The abortion pill is a different medicine, taken under medical supervision to end an existing pregnancy. If you are already pregnant, the morning-after pill will not work, which is why a pregnancy test 3 weeks after unprotected sex matters.
Which morning-after pill is best?
The copper IUD is the most effective emergency method. Of the pills, ulipristal acetate works better than levonorgestrel and is the one to use 3 to 5 days after sex or if you weigh more than 70 kg. Levonorgestrel suits people who are breastfeeding or want to restart hormonal contraception straight away.
Can you still get pregnant after taking the morning-after pill?
Yes, sometimes. The morning-after pill can fail if you had already ovulated, took it late, vomited within 3 hours, take interacting medicines, or had unprotected sex again later in the cycle. Do a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the unprotected sex, or sooner if your period is more than 7 days late.
Can the morning-after pill delay your period?
Yes. After the morning-after pill, your next period may come a few days early or late. In studies of ulipristal acetate, about 1 in 5 women had their period more than 7 days late. If it is more than 7 days late, or lighter or shorter than usual, do a pregnancy test.
What are the side effects of the morning-after pill?
Most people have no side effects from the morning-after pill. The most common are headache, feeling sick and period-type pain, each in around 1 in 10 users, and some people have tender breasts or spotting. They usually pass within a few days. If you vomit within 3 hours of the pill, you may need another dose.
What should I do after taking the morning-after pill?
Use condoms until your next period, because the morning-after pill only covers the sex you have already had and can make ovulation happen later in the cycle. If you use the pill, patch or ring, restart straight away after levonorgestrel, or after 5 days if you took ulipristal acetate, with condoms for 7 more days. If you vomit within 3 hours, contact a pharmacist or doctor about another dose, and do a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the sex.
Can I just walk into a pharmacy and get the morning-after pill?
Usually, yes. Most pharmacies supply the morning-after pill after a short, private conversation with the pharmacist, who checks it is suitable for you. Ask for it by its ingredient name, levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate.
Does the NHS offer free morning-after pills?
Yes. In the UK, emergency contraception is free from NHS sexual health clinics and GP surgeries, and the pill is free from most pharmacies. The copper IUD is also free from most sexual health clinics and most GP surgeries.
Can you take the morning-after pill more than once?
Yes. The morning-after pill can be taken more than once, even in the same cycle, and there are no known health risks from repeated use, although it can make your periods irregular. If you took ulipristal acetate, do not take levonorgestrel in the following 5 days. A regular method protects you far better.
How can I avoid needing emergency contraception again?
Start a regular method, which protects you far better than emergency contraception: a long-acting method such as the implant, the hormonal coil or the copper coil, which can stay in after an emergency fitting, has nothing to remember, and the pill, patch or ring suit people who prefer something they control. Keep condoms to hand, and ask a doctor to help you choose, because needing the morning-after pill more than once is a sign the current method is not working for you.
Does the morning-after pill work if you have already ovulated?
No. The morning-after pills work by delaying ovulation, so they do not work once it has happened. The copper IUD still works after ovulation, which is why the doctor may suggest it if your fertile time has already started.
Can an online doctor prescribe the morning-after pill?
Yes, after a consultation. The doctor checks the timing, your cycle, your weight and your medicines, and may prescribe the morning-after pill that suits you for you to collect from a pharmacy near you. The copper IUD has to be fitted in person.
- Emergency contraception, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 31 January 2024.
- FSRH Clinical Guideline: Emergency Contraception, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (now the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare), March 2017, amended July 2023.
- Emergency contraception: fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 9 November 2021.
- Emergency contraception, HSE, Health Service Executive (Ireland), accessed 15 October 2026.
- Emergency contraceptive pill with ulipristal acetate, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, sexual health service (UK), accessed 15 October 2026.
- Emergency contraceptive pill with levonorgestrel, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, sexual health service (UK), accessed 15 October 2026.
- Morning-after pill, Cleveland Clinic (US), updated 21 November 2024.
- Ectopic pregnancy, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 23 August 2022.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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