Morning after pill
Had unprotected sex with your male partner? If you take the morning after pill soon afterwards, you won’t get pregnant. Read here about how that works.
What is the morning after pill?
The morning after pill makes sure that you don’t get pregnant. How does that work? The morning after pill delays ovulation, so no egg is released. Once you’ve taken this pill, sperm can’t come into contact with an egg and there’s no fertilisation. The morning after pill is also called emergency contraception because it’s a problem solver – not a contraceptive.
Important to know: 100% success not guaranteed
A morning after pill doesn’t always prevent pregnancy. If an egg had already been released, the morning after pill won’t work anymore. Then the egg may be fertilised by a sperm cell.
When to take the morning after pill
There is the least risk of pregnancy if you take the morning after pill within 12 hours of having sex. You can take it a bit later too, but the sooner the better.
2 types
- NorLevo: works up to 3 days (72 hours) after unprotected sex
- ellaOne: works up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex
Have you vomited?
If you vomit within 3 hours of taking the morning after pill, take another one as soon as possible.
What does a morning after pill cost?
- NorLevo costs about 15 euros
- ellaOne costs about 20 euros
Tip: share the expense with your partner.
Where to get the morning after pill
You can buy the morning after pill at a pharmacy or chemist. You don’t need a prescription from your doctor. Here are addresses of chemists in the Netherlands that sell the morning after pill.
In the evening or on Sunday
Need a morning after pill in the evening or on Sunday?
- Look on your pharmacy’s website to find one that’s open somewhere near you.
- Go to a chemist at a large railway station that’s open in the evening or on Sunday.
- By the morning after pill online. But remember that you won’t receive it until 1 or 2 days later. And if the delivery’s too late, there’s no point in taking the pill.
Tip
Make sure you’ve always got a morning after pill at home. Then you’re prepared if something goes wrong with your contraception. But keep an eye on the expiry date.
When not to take a morning after pill
- If you take medicines to treat HIV, epilepsy or tuberculosis.
- If you take any herbal remedies containing St John’s Wort.
- If you are allergic to anything in the morning after pill. Read the instruction leaflet.
- If you have a liver or intestinal condition.
- If you take antacids.
Ask your doctor which is best for you: NorLevo, ellaOne or a copper coil (IUD).
Is emergency contraception always necessary?
That depends on what went wrong. Do the Morning after test to get some advice.
Too late for the morning after pill or an emergency coil?
Was the unprotected sex more than 5 days ago? Then there’s no point in getting a morning after pill or an emergency coil.
- Wait and see if you are pregnant. Read about how you’ll know you’re pregnant
- You’re not pregnant? Use a contraceptive from now on – then you don’t have to worry.
- Does something often go wrong with your contraception? Consider using a different contraceptive. Read more about contraception
- Are you pregnant? Then you have to make a choice: keep your baby, have the baby adopted or have an abortion. Read more about your options if it’s an unplanned pregnancy.
Risk of STIs too?
Have an STI test done at a Sense clinic. If you need the morning after pill, you had sex without a condom. Or something went wrong with the condom. So you may have been infected with an STI.
Are you not in a relationship?
If you’re not in a relationship but do have casual sex, make sure you always have condoms with you for unexpected sex.