Levonorgestrel 1.5mg
Take within: Up to 72 hours (3 days)
The same active ingredient and the same 1.5mg dose as Levonelle, at a lower price. Licensed for use within 3 days of unprotected sex.
£19.99
If you have had unprotected sex, a condom has split, or you have missed pills, the morning after pill can significantly reduce your chance of becoming pregnant — but only if you take it in time. Medicina Pharmacy is a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy (premises registration 9011553) supplying all three licensed emergency contraception tablets after a short, confidential online consultation reviewed by a UK prescriber.
Timing is the single biggest factor in whether emergency contraception works. Levonorgestrel tablets are licensed for use up to 72 hours (3 days) after sex, and ulipristal acetate is licensed up to 120 hours (5 days). Effectiveness falls with every hour that passes, so start your online consultation now and our prescriber will confirm which option is suitable for you.
Start free consultation From £19.99 · consultation included
Take within: Up to 72 hours (3 days)
The same active ingredient and the same 1.5mg dose as Levonelle, at a lower price. Licensed for use within 3 days of unprotected sex.
£19.99
Take within: Up to 72 hours (3 days)
The long-established branded levonorgestrel tablet. Licensed for use within 3 days of unprotected sex.
£24.99
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Take within: Up to 120 hours (5 days)
The most effective oral option, and the only tablet still licensed beyond 72 hours. FSRH guidance states it is more effective than levonorgestrel.
£29.99
There are two active ingredients licensed as oral emergency contraception in the UK — levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate — plus the copper coil, which is fitted by a clinic rather than supplied by a pharmacy. The right choice depends on how many hours have passed since you had sex, your weight, and any medicines you take.
If more than 72 hours has passed, ellaOne 30mg is the only tablet still licensed for you. Within 72 hours you can choose between ellaOne and a levonorgestrel tablet — either branded Levonelle or the lower-cost generic levonorgestrel tablets, which contain exactly the same 1.5mg dose of the same active ingredient.
| Option | Active ingredient | Take within | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ellaOne 30mg | Ulipristal acetate 30mg | 120 hours (5 days) | The most effective oral option, and the only tablet licensed beyond 72 hours. FSRH guidance states it is more effective than levonorgestrel. | £29.99 |
| Levonelle 1500mcg | Levonorgestrel 1.5mg | 72 hours (3 days) | The long-established branded levonorgestrel tablet. | £24.99 |
| Levonorgestrel 1.5mg | Levonorgestrel 1.5mg | 72 hours (3 days) | Identical active ingredient and dose to Levonelle, at a lower price. | £19.99 |
| Copper coil (Cu-IUD) | Copper — non-hormonal | 5 days after sex, or 5 days after your earliest likely ovulation, whichever is later | The most effective emergency contraception of all (pregnancy rate under 0.1%). Not supplied by post — fitted at a sexual health clinic or GP surgery. | Free on the NHS |
Levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate should not be taken together, and taking one after the other in the same cycle can reduce how well either works. Complete a single online consultation and let the prescriber decide — do not take a second, different tablet on your own.
Both types of morning after pill work mainly by delaying or preventing ovulation. If no egg is released, sperm already present in your body have nothing to fertilise. FSRH guidance describes emergency contraception as acting to prevent fertilisation, or to prevent implantation before day six after ovulation.
This is also why the morning after pill is not an abortion pill. It cannot end a pregnancy that has already become established, and it will not harm a pregnancy that is already under way. Equally, neither tablet is reliable once ovulation has already happened — which is why speed matters, and why a copper coil may be recommended if you are at the most fertile point of your cycle.
Take emergency contraception as soon as you can. The manufacturer's product information for Levonelle reports around 95% efficacy when taken within 24 hours, falling to roughly 85% between 25 and 48 hours and about 58% between 49 and 72 hours. FSRH guidance notes that levonorgestrel appears to be ineffective beyond 96 hours.
| Time since sex | What is licensed | What we recommend |
|---|---|---|
| Within 12 hours | Any of the three tablets | This is the ideal window — order now rather than waiting to see if your period arrives. |
| Up to 72 hours (3 days) | Levonorgestrel 1.5mg, Levonelle 1500mcg or ellaOne 30mg | All three are available. The prescriber will weigh up your weight, cycle timing and medicines. |
| 72 to 120 hours (3–5 days) | ellaOne 30mg only | Levonorgestrel is no longer licensed or reliable at this point. Choose ellaOne. |
| Over 120 hours (5+ days) | No oral emergency contraception is licensed | Contact a sexual health clinic or NHS 111 about a copper coil, which can still be an option depending on where you are in your cycle. |
If you are close to the 72-hour or 120-hour cut-off, choose the fastest delivery option at checkout or collect from one of our pharmacy branches instead of waiting for post.
No oral emergency contraception is 100% effective. The NHS states that around 1 to 2 in every 100 people who take an emergency contraceptive pill will still become pregnant. FSRH guidance is clear that ulipristal acetate is more effective than levonorgestrel, and that the copper coil is the most effective method of all, with a pregnancy rate below 0.1%.
Effectiveness depends on three things: how quickly you take it, where you are in your menstrual cycle, and your body weight. Because none of these can be judged from a website alone, a prescriber reviews your answers before any treatment is supplied.
Yes, and it is one of the most commonly missed points. FSRH guidance advises that for a BMI over 26 kg/m² or a body weight over 70 kg, levonorgestrel may be less effective — and that either ulipristal acetate or a double dose (3mg) of levonorgestrel should be considered.
Ulipristal acetate may also be less effective above a BMI of 30 kg/m² or a weight of 85 kg, but double dosing of ulipristal is not currently recommended. If your BMI is in this range, a copper coil is the most reliable option and we will tell you so rather than sell you a tablet that may not work.
Please give your accurate height and weight in the consultation. It is not a formality — it directly changes which treatment the prescriber can approve.
Emergency contraception is a pharmacy medicine that must be supplied after a clinical assessment. Ordering from us takes three steps and usually under two minutes of your time.
Completing the questionnaire does not guarantee that treatment will be supplied. If our prescriber decides emergency contraception is not appropriate for you, we will explain why and point you to a safer route — and you will not be charged. You can review our delivery options before you order, or contact the pharmacy team if you are unsure.
Prices at Medicina Pharmacy start at £19.99, and that price includes the online consultation and the prescriber's review — there is no separate consultation fee.
| Treatment | Time window | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Levonorgestrel 1.5mg | Up to 72 hours (3 days) | £19.99 |
| Levonelle 1500mcg | Up to 72 hours (3 days) | £24.99 |
| ellaOne 30mg | Up to 120 hours (5 days) | £29.99 |
Emergency contraception is also free on the NHS. You can get it without charge from many community pharmacies taking part in the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, from sexual health and contraception clinics, from most GP surgeries and from NHS walk-in centres. We would rather tell you that plainly than have you overpay. Buying privately makes sense when you want it delivered discreetly, when you want a specific product, or when clinics near you are closed or fully booked.
Most people take emergency contraception with no more than mild, short-lived effects. The most commonly reported are:
Vomiting within 3 hours of taking either tablet means the dose may not have been absorbed and you will usually need to take another one. Contact us or a pharmacist straight away rather than waiting.
Seek urgent medical advice if you develop severe pain low down on one side of your abdomen in the weeks after taking emergency contraception. Emergency contraception does not protect against ectopic pregnancy, and this can be a sign of one.
Your next period may arrive early, on time or late. A shift of up to about a week in either direction is common, and levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate can affect the timing differently.
Take a pregnancy test if your period is more than 7 days late, if it is much lighter or shorter than usual, or if you have any other reason to think you might be pregnant. A test taken 21 days after the unprotected sex will give a reliable result.
Tell the prescriber in your consultation if any of the following apply to you. None of them automatically rules out treatment, but several change which option is safe and effective.
Yes, emergency contraception can be used while breastfeeding, but the advice differs by product.
For levonorgestrel, FSRH guidance is that you can continue to breastfeed as normal. The manufacturer's leaflet takes a more cautious line and suggests taking the tablet immediately after a feed and avoiding nursing for at least 8 hours afterwards.
For ulipristal acetate (ellaOne), the manufacturer advises avoiding breastfeeding for one week after the dose, while the FSRH guideline amended in 2023 states that no interruption of breastfeeding is necessary after a single dose. Tell the prescriber you are breastfeeding and they will talk you through both positions.
After levonorgestrel, you can start or continue hormonal contraception straight away. Use condoms as well until your regular method becomes reliable.
After ulipristal acetate, wait at least 5 days before starting hormonal contraception, because starting sooner can stop the ellaOne dose from working. Use condoms during those 5 days and until your regular method becomes reliable.
If your reason for needing emergency contraception was a missed pill or a contraception gap, it is worth reviewing your regular method. You can also browse our other women's health services if you need something else at the same time.
Levonorgestrel tablets, including Levonelle, are licensed for use up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex. ellaOne, which contains ulipristal acetate, is licensed up to 120 hours (5 days). Both work best the sooner you take them, so do not wait.
FSRH guidance states that ulipristal acetate (ellaOne) is more effective than levonorgestrel. The copper coil is more effective than either tablet, with a pregnancy rate below 0.1%, and can be fitted up to 5 days after sex at a sexual health clinic or GP surgery.
You do not need a prescription from your GP, but emergency contraception can only be supplied after a clinical assessment. At Medicina Pharmacy you complete a short online consultation and a UK-registered prescriber reviews your answers before we dispense anything.
At Medicina Pharmacy, generic levonorgestrel 1.5mg is £19.99, Levonelle 1500mcg is £24.99 and ellaOne 30mg is £29.99. Each price includes the online consultation and the prescriber's review, so there is no separate consultation charge added at checkout. Emergency contraception is also available free on the NHS.
Yes. Emergency contraception is free on the NHS from many community pharmacies, sexual health clinics, most GP surgeries and NHS walk-in centres. Buying privately is usually about speed, discretion and choosing a specific product rather than about availability.
No. Both types work mainly by delaying or preventing ovulation, so neither is reliable once an egg has already been released. If you think you are past ovulation, a copper coil is the option most likely to work and is worth discussing with a sexual health clinic.
It can. FSRH guidance advises that above a BMI of 26 kg/m² or a weight of 70 kg, levonorgestrel may be less effective, and either ulipristal acetate or a double 3mg levonorgestrel dose should be considered. Give accurate details in your consultation.
There is no known limit on how many times levonorgestrel can be used, and it does not cause long-term harm. It is far less effective than regular contraception, though, so if you need it repeatedly it is worth speaking to a clinician about an ongoing method.
It might. Your next period may come early, on time or late, and a shift of up to about a week in either direction is common. Take a pregnancy test if your period is more than 7 days late or is much lighter than usual.
No. Emergency contraception works before a pregnancy is established, mainly by delaying or preventing ovulation. It cannot end an existing pregnancy, and there is no evidence that it harms a pregnancy that has already begun. It is contraception, not termination.
No. The person who needs the treatment must complete the consultation themselves, because the prescriber has to assess their cycle, weight, medicines and the timing of the sex. Answers given by anyone else make a safe clinical decision impossible.
Written by Saleh Ahmed, Independent Prescriber and Advanced Practitioner (GPhC 2065382).
Medically reviewed by Yasmeen Akthar, Superintendent Pharmacist (GPhC 2058731) and Mohammed Shajan Ali, Independent Prescriber (GPhC 2067785).
Last reviewed: . Next review due: 18 August 2027.
This page is for information only and does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. Emergency contraception is supplied only after a clinical assessment by a UK-registered prescriber, and completing the online consultation does not guarantee that treatment will be supplied. Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine. If you are under 16, if you have severe abdominal pain, or if you think you may already be pregnant, contact a pharmacist, your GP, a sexual health clinic or NHS 111 rather than ordering online.
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