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    Levonorgestrel pill (generic Levonelle)

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    Commonly known as the 'morning after pill', Levonorgestrel contains the same active ingredient as Levonelle. The active ingredient is a man-made version of the hormone progestogen. It is effective for up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. 

    With the online emergency contraception consultation service, our clinicians can prescribe Levonorgestrel if you’re medically suitable. You can choose next day delivery, next day ParcelShop collection or collect the same day. 

    When can I take Levonorgestrel?

    Levonorgestrel is a morning after pill that should be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex. 

    How does Levonorgestrel work?

    Levonorgestrel is a synthetic (man-made) hormone and the active ingredient in this emergency contraception pill. It works to prevent pregnancy in two different ways. Either by stopping the ovaries releasing an egg (ovulating) or if an egg has already been released it stops sperm reaching an egg and fertilising it.  

    How effective is the morning after pill Levonorgestrel?

    The earlier Levonorgestrel is taken after unprotected sex, the more likely it is to be effective. It should be taken within 72 hours (3 days), but it is thought that if taken:

    • within 24 hours it will prevent 95% of pregnancies
    • within 48 hours it will prevent 85% of pregnancies
    • within 72 hours prevent 58% of pregnancies

    If you are sick within three hours of taking the initial tablet you will need to take another Levonorgestrel pill. You should also speak to a medical professional.

    Once you have taken Levonorgestrel it will not prevent further pregnancies if you have unprotected sex again. Between taking the tablet and your next period you should use condoms or your regular contraception.

    Find out more about how effective is the morning after pill

    Taking a double dose of Levonorgestrel

    The standard Levonorgestrel dose is 1.5 milligrams. You might need a double dose of Levonorgestrel (3mg) if you weigh over 70kg or have a BMI over 26 or if you’re taking certain medications. Read more about why you might need a double dose of Levonorgestrel

    Are there any Levonorgestrel side effects?

    Like most medication some people may experience side effects when taking Levonorgestrel. The most common side effects of this form of emergency contraception are:

    • Nausea
    • Being sick
    • Stomach pain
    • Headaches
    • Changes to your next period 

    If after taking Levonorgestrel your period is late and you experience the above symptoms, you should take a pregnancy test.

    For full information on side effects and correct use, see the patient information leaflet. If any side effects concern you, contact us via your Patient Record.

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      Levonorgestrel FAQs

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      Will Levonorgestrel interact with other medication?

      It is important that you tell us about any other medications or recreational drugs you are taking, so that Levonorgestrel can be prescribed safely. Levonorgestrel can be taken alongside most medications. But emergency contraception can also interact with some medications including the contraceptive pill. 

      How often can you take levonorgestrel?

      If you need to, you can take the morning after pill more than once in a menstrual cycle. However, the morning after pill shouldn’t be used as a regular form of contraception. It’s less effective than contraceptive pills or condoms at preventing pregnancy. 

      Does levonorgestrel stop periods?

      Taking the morning after pill can make your period earlier, later or heavier. It does not stop your periods. If your period is more than 7 days late or you’ve missed a period, you should take a pregnancy test. 

      Can levonorgestrel cause infertility?

      Taking the morning after pill should not affect fertility, even when taken regularly.

      If you’ve recently stopped taking the contraceptive pill, find more information on how quickly you can get pregnant after coming off the pill

      Can you take Levonorgestrel while breastfeeding?

      Yes, however your breast milk will contain some of the medicine. To reduce how much of the active ingredient is in your milk, you can either:

      • Take Levonorgestrel straight after you nurse
      • Wait at least eight hours after taking it to breastfeed
      • Pump your milk for eight hours after taking the tablet 

      You may want to think about how often your baby feeds. You might want to pump some milk before you take the tablet so that you can feed the pumped milk to your baby later.

      If you take ellaOne you can’t breastfeed for one week afterwards. Learn more about contraception and emergency contraception after giving birth

      Does Levonorgestrel protect against STIs?

      Levonorgestrel is a form of emergency contraception, that’s used after unprotected sex. It doesn’t offer protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

      Having unprotected sex may put you at risk of catching an STI. Learn more about which STI symptoms to look out for. You can also visit our STI test service for further advice and at-home test kits.  

      Where can I get the morning after pill Levonorgestrel?

      Fill out our emergency contraception consultation and you could be approved for a prescription of Levonorgestrel. Complete a short questionnaire

      Next day delivery and next day ParcelShop collection are available. It may also be available for same-day pharmacy collection in selected locations. 

      Levonorgestrel is also available from contraception clinics, your GP, pharmacies, Brook centres and sexual health or GUM clinics. 

      Alternative emergency contraception

      If more than 72 hours have passed since having unprotected sex, you should not take Levonorgestrel. We recommend taking ellaOne as an alternative which can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Our clinicians will make sure it’s safe for you to take. Learn more about the differences between Levonorgestrel and ellaOne. Otherwise, you can get an IUD fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex too. 

      How our morning after pill service works

      1. Complete our simple, confidential online consultation

        5 mins

      2. One of our clinicians confirms your suitability and notifies you by email

        About 30 mins (Mon-Sun 9am-5pm)

      3. Choose delivery or collection

        Next-day delivery

        Next-day collection from local ParcelShop

        Same-day pharmacy collection

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      Delivery & collection information

      • Next-day delivery

        £4.95

        Orders approved before 5pm Monday-Friday will arrive within 1-2 working days. Orders approved between 5pm Friday and 12pm Sunday will usually arrive on Monday or Tuesday.

      • Next day ParcelShop collection

        £2.95

        Collect next day from 7000+ convenient ParcelShop locations, if approved before 5pm Monday-Friday. Saturday and Sunday orders, collect Monday if approved before 12pm Sunday or Tuesday if ordered after 12pm. 

      • Same-day collection

        Free

        Order before 5pm Monday-Friday to collect in selected pharmacies the same day. Subject to the availability of your treatment in your selected pharmacy.

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