I am not a healthcare professional, if you need advice please speak to your local GP or pharmacy or visit: https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/emergency-contraceptive-pill-morning-after-pill/what-is-it/
As I am sure everyone is aware, the morning-after pill is now free everywhere, including pharmacies, as part of the governments NHS overhaul that sees more healthcare options available without the need for a GP appointment.
This is a landmark moment for women across the country as we can all relate to the struggle of trying to get your hands on the pill in those desperate times of panic and then being faced with the £30 charge. The experience of waiting for hours in the NHS sexual health clinics or having to wait in queues in front of loads of people and then being confronted with the awkward and embarrassing questions about your sex life and lectured to be more careful, even though you were to begin with!
Thankfully everything has changed now, and around 10,000 pharmacies in England, including independent shops and chain stores such as Boots, now offer the free service. Dr Sue Mann, an NHS National Clinical Director in Women’s Health, stated that “this is one of the biggest changes to sexual health services since the 1960’s and a game changer in making reproductive health more easily accessible for women”.
But what is the morning- after pill?
The emergency contraceptive pill can stop a pregnancy happening after sex without contraception or if contraception fails. It primarily works by delaying ovulation. These medications are a temporary way to prevent pregnancy, but they aren’t a long-term routine form of birth control. You need to take it within 3 or 5 days after sex, depending on the type of pill. The sooner you take an emergency pill, the more likely it is to work. However, it must be noted that the emergency pill does not stop you getting or passing on STIs. Use a condom every time you have sex to help protect you and your partner against STIs, including HIV.
You may need to take the morning after pill in situations where:
- Having sexual intercourse without any form of preventative birth control.
- Experiencing birth control failure (like a broken condom, or forgotten birth control pills).
- Experiencing nonconsensual intercourse (rape).
According to the NHS website, the emergency contraceptive pill is very safe and serious side effects are rare. Common side effects include:
- Headache
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Period like pain and cramping
I have never had any serious side effects, however I find that personally it can impact my menstrual cycle and cause it to be irregular. This is a normal consequence because of the high dose of hormones it contains. It may also cause irregular spotting or affect the flow of your period.
You should be able to take the emergency contraceptive pill even if you cannot use other hormonal contraception such as the combined pill. Please remember that even with perfect use, there’s no guarantee it’ll prevent a pregnancy.
Once again, I am not a healthcare professional, if you need advice please speak to your local GP or pharmacy or visit: https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/emergency-contraceptive-pill-morning-after-pill/what-is-it/