Levonelle 1.5mg - Morning After Pill

Levonelle Morning After Pill Online

By Clinical Pharmacist Hywel McGlinchy

You can request to buy the Morning after pill online from our UK registered online pharmacy. Our Levonelle price includes any prescription fees and next working day delivery options are available. Simply complete our Levonelle questionnaire as part of your order.

Levonelle is used as an emergency contraceptive to be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your usual contraceptive method has failed, such as a broken condom. It is more commonly known as the morning after pill.

The active ingredient in the morning after pill Levonelle is levonorgestrel. It will not prevent a pregnancy every time and is more effective if you take it as soon as possible after unprotected sex. It is better to take it within 12 hours rather than delay until the third day.

What is Levonelle?

Levonelle is an emergency contraceptive that is taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if the usual contraceptive method has failed. It is used to prevent pregnancy.

Levonelle is the branded name for a 'morning after' pill. There are two different 'morning after' pills available to buy - Levonelle and EllaOne. EllaOne contains the drug ulipristal acetate and Levonelle contains the drug levonorgestrel.

It will not prevent a pregnancy every time and is more effective if you take it as soon as possible after unprotected sex. It is better to take it within 12 hours rather than delay until the third day.

Levonelle does not continue to protect against pregnancy. If you have unprotected sex any time after taking Levonelle you can become pregnant.

How does Levonelle work?

Women are most fertile around the time their ovaries release an egg (ovulation) in the menstrual cycle. Ovulation usually occurs around 12 to 14 days before the next period starts. The chance of becoming pregnant after having unprotected sex is highest during this time. 

Levonelle is thought to work by stopping or delaying ovulation. It may also prevent sperm from fertilising an egg that may have already been released. Levonelle only works if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. Levonelle’s effectiveness is significantly reduced if taken 72 hours or more after unprotected sex. For this reason, it should not be used if unprotected sex was over 72 hours prior.

The Levonelle pill does not work if you are already pregnant. If unprotected sex has already occured in the same menstrual cycle you may already be pregnant, meaning Levonelle will not work. If you suspect you may already be pregnant, please mention this when completing our online form.

Levonelle is taken as a single dose as soon as possible after unprotected sex. In rare circumstances people may be prescribed 2 tablets instead of one.

Levonelle and regular contraception

Levonelle can be used as an emergency contraceptive, even if you are already using regular contraception. An example is forgetting to take your regular pill.

After you take Levonelle you should:

• Take your next contraceptive pill, insert a new ring or apply a new patch within 12 hours of taking Levonelle
• Continue taking your contraceptive pill as usual

Your regular contraception method will not be effective immediately. You should abstain from sex or use a condom for 7 days except:

• 9 days if taking Qlaira
• 2 days if taking the progestogen-only pill (POP or mini-pill)

Taking this precaution ensures your regular contraception becomes effective before having unprotected sex again. 

Levonelle and other emergency contraception should only be used as an occasional contraceptive method. If you find you need to use emergency contraception on a regular basis, you should consider using regular contraception. These methods of contraception are more effective at preventing pregnancy. Examples of regular contraception:

• Condoms
• Combined pill
• Mini-pill (progestogen-only pill)
• Hormone implant
• Hormone coil
• Copper coil
• Hormone patch
• Vaginal ring

This web page has more information about the effectiveness of each regular method of contraception.

Levonelle alternatives

The two types of emergency hormonal contraception are:

• Emergency contraceptive pill - Levonelle or EllaOne
• The intrauterine device, also known as the coil or IUD

The main advantage of EllaOne is it can be used up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex. This is compared to 72 hours with Levonelle. EllaOne is unsuitable in some circumstances for example, if you have severe asthma or take certain medications. EllaOne is also available to buy on our website. You can visit our EllaOne page, which contains more information on which medications are unsuitable to use with EllaOne.

The IUD is the most effective emergency contraception method. It can be used up to 5 days after unprotected sex. If it is used as emergency contraception, it can be left in and used as a regular contraceptive method. 

The IUD can be inserted by a doctor or nurse. This is generally done in a GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinic, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic. This NHS page can help you find the nearest available clinic.

Levonelle in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnancy

Levonelle should not be used in pregnant women. It is not thought to harm a foetus but there has not been enough research conducted to know this for certain. If you may already be pregnant, please see your GP.

Breastfeeding

Very small amounts of the active ingredient of Levonelle can pass through the breast milk but this is not thought to be harmful to the baby. If you are worried, do not breastfeed for at least 8 hours after taking the tablet. This will reduce the amount of active ingredient in breast milk.

Interactions with other medication

When filling out our online form, make sure to list any medication you currently take.

There are some medicines that may cause Levonelle to be less effective at preventing pregnancy:

• Drugs called barbiturates or other medicines for epilepsy like primidone and carbamazepine.
• St John’s Wort, a herbal medicine 
• Some medicines used to treat HIV and tuberculosis
• A medicine used for fungal infection (griseofulvin)

If this is the case for you, the intrauterine device (IUD) would be the most suitable option to use as an emergency contraceptive.

Levonelle summary

Levonelle Prices

• What is the ingredient in Levonelle?

  Levonogestrel 1500ug is the ingredient contained in Levonelle.

• Can I buy Levonelle over the counter?

  Levonelle is a pharmacy medicine which means you can buy Levonelle in the UK over the counter at your local pharmacy. However, you need to have a consultation with a pharmacist before buying it at local pharmacies, like Levonelle in Boots.

• How effective is Levonelle?

  The effectiveness of Levonelle decreases over time it is best taken within the first 12 hours where it is 95% effective in preventing pregnancy. At 48 hours it is 85% effective and at 72 hours it is 58% effective. It has a far greater contraceptive effect the earlier it is taken after the unprotected sex.

• When should I take Levonelle?

  It is ideally taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse to have the greatest chance of success. If more than 72 hours have passed since sexual intercourse, you should seek further advice as Levonelle will not work.

• How do I take Levonelle?

  Take the tablet whole with a glass of water do not chew or crush the tablet as soon as possible after unprotected sex.

• What should I do if I vomit after taking the morning after pill?

  If you vomit within three hours of taking the morning after pill, it will not have had time to be absorbed and another tablet will need to be taken.

• What hormone is in Levonelle?

  The hormone contained in levonelle is called levonogestrel.

• Should I bleed after taking Levonelle?

  The morning after pill may cause irregular spotting and bleeding in the days after taking it. It may also delay your next period by several days.

• How many times can I take Levonelle?

  Levonelle can be taken more than once in a menstrual cycle. If it is used more than once in a cycle it is more likely to cause changes in your menstrual cycle. It is not as effective as regular contraception so if you find you use it often, you are advised to discuss regular contraception with your doctor.

• Does Levonelle work if I’m mid-cycle?

  Generally, you are most fertile mid-cycle. This is usually between days 10-16 of your menstrual cycle depending on your usual cycle length. There is research to suggest Levonelle is less effective if you have unprotected sex mid-cycle. Levonelle can still be taken but women are often advised to have the IUD fitted as well.

Levonelle Side Effects

As with all medications, there are some side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Some of the common sides effects associated with Levonelle are nausea, irregular bleeding until your next period, fatigue, headache, and lower abdominal pain.

Levonelle is a well-tolerated medication, however, there is always a risk of side effects when taking any medicine. It's important you read the patient information leaflet so you are aware of the potential side effects when taking Levonelle.

If you have a history of ectopic pregnancy (where the baby develops outside the womb), Levonelle is not advised. Ectopic pregnancies can still occur even after taking emergency contraception tablets. 

The risk of a new ectopic pregnancy is increased if you have had an ectopic pregnancy before. The main symptom of an ectopic pregnancy is sudden pain in your lower abdomen. If you suspect an ectopic pregnancy, seek urgent medical attention.

Listed below are some of the common side effects users of this medication may experience:

• Feeling or being sick (nausea)
• Changes to your next period (may be earlier, later or more painful than usual periods)
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Abdominal pain

If you vomit within 2 hours of taking Levonelle you should take another dose because it may not have worked.

Levonelle may cause your period to be earlier or later than usual. But if your period is more than 5 days late or unusually light or heavy, contact your doctor. If you read Levonelle reviews online, you should keep in mind that not everyone experiences side effects. You can see the patient information leaflet to see which side effects are more common than others.

Please read the patient information leaflet before taking this medicine.

• Levonelle PIL