Can you tell me how to take the morning-after pill? I’m too nervous to ask my doctor.
Name withheld, by email
The morning-after pill can stop you becoming pregnant after unprotected sex. Two types are available and they don’t actually have to be taken the very next morning – Levonelle works for up to 72 hours after sex, while EllaOne can be taken up to five days later. But both are most effective if taken as soon as possible.
You can get the pill for free from your GP but, when you make the appointment, make sure you tell them it’s urgent. Over-16s can also get it for free from family planning clinics or buy it at pharmacies for around £25. Levonelle is a single pill, which works by preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg and alters the lining of your womb, so an impregnated egg can’t embed itself. Common side effects are nausea, irregular periods, headaches and vomiting. If you throw up within two hours of taking a tablet, you’ve probably expelled it, so you’ll need to take another one. If you get severetummy pain, contact a doctor immediately.
It’s not 100 per cent effective, but the failure rate is low. It’s important to stress that the morning-after pill shouldn’t be your regular form of birth control – using a condom and the contraceptive Pill are more reliable methods.