Looking for the Morning After Pill in Birmingham?
If you have engaged in unprotected sex within the last 3-5 days, we are here to help you. We offer the emergency contraceptive pill to help prevent pregnancy following unprotected sex. Unprotected sex is not just limited to sexual intercourse with no form of protection. It also describes situations where other forms of contraception have failed. This includes a condom splitting or slipping, or a forgotten contraceptive pill.
How Does The Morning After Pill work?
The Morning After Pill is designed to delay egg release. Egg release occurs during the ovulation phase of your menstrual cycle; ovulation is triggered by rising levels of luteinising hormone, or LH. The higher the levels of said hormone, the less effective the pill’s protection is. Therefore, the sooner you take it, preferably on the same day, the more effective it is. When you visit us for the Morning After Pill in Birmingham, we will offer you Levonorgestrel and ellaOne. It is important to remember that the Morning After Pill is for emergencies only; it should not be used as a regular method of contraception.
How does Levonorgestrel work?
Essentially, Levonorgestrel is a synthetic hormone. It prevents your ovaries from releasing an egg during ovulation. Moreover, it prevents sperm from fertilising an egg that has already been released. You must take this pill within 3 days following unprotected sex for it to be effective.
How does ellaOne work?
ellaOne delays the release of an egg through a chemical called ulipristal acetate. This ensures that the egg cannot be fertilised; thus preventing pregnancy.
Please note: Taking ellaOne may render other forms of contraception, such as the combined pill, less effective. Therefore, you should take extra precautions after taking ellaOne, such as using condoms.
In order for it to be most effective, you should take ellaOne within 5 days of unprotected sex. Levonorgestrel has been shown to become less effective when your levels of LH increase. However, studies have shown that ellaOne is effective for a full 5 days after sex. If you miss or experience a period more than 7 days late after taking either pill, you are advised to take a pregnancy test.
What are the side effects of The Morning After Pill?
Common side effects that result from taking the Morning After Pill are:
– Nausea
– Irregular bleeding
– Headaches
– Abdominal or period pain.
Other possible side effects can be found on the NHS website.
Further guidance can also be found on our Emergency Hormonal Contraception page.
Moreover, emergency contraception does not prevent STIs (sexually-transmitted infections) or diseases (STDs). Also, it does not prevent future pregnancies following further unprotected sex. Practising safe sex is the best way to avoid catching and spreading STIs. It is highly recommended that you use condoms alongside another form of birth control, such as the contraceptive pill or the IUD.
Collecting your Morning After Pill in Birmingham
You must visit us in store to collect your emergency contraception. Our pharmacist will need to see the person that the pill is intended for. This is because they will need to ask a few questions regarding the patient’s history as part of the consultation. However, you needn’t worry as our consultation room offers discretion and privacy. Anything that you say will be treated with the utmost confidence.
We represent one of the few pharmacies that offer a free Morning After Pill to those between 13 and 25, who meet the applicable NHS criteria. However, the pill can also be purchased privately.
Contact us for further information, or visit us for your discreet consultation today – no appointment needed.
This blog post was written on behalf of Saydon Pharmacy by Carla Moore from Pharmacy Mentor.