Levonorgestrel is a medication belonging to the class known as the Progestins. P These medicines are synthetic versions of the hormone-progesterone and work to raise the levels of this hormone in the body.

Levonorgestrel pills can be used in reproductive medicine as a form emergency contraception as well as regular contraception.

Levonorgestrel can be used in the morning after pill as emergency contraception. It works best for this action if taken within 72 hours of an unprotected sex incident (UPSI). Levonorgestrel’s effects as an emergency contraceptive pill is to reduce the risk of pregnancy by preventing or delaying ovulation.

If oral Levonorgestrel is taken as regular contraception, it can either be taken alone (progesterone only pill) or as part of the combined oral contraceptive pill (Combined pill).

You can also speak to your healthcare provider about getting long term Levonorgestrel options such as Intrauterine Hormonal devices (IUS).

When Levonorgestrel is used as the morning after pill, it can be sold under different brand names (Levonelle or Plan B). You can now buy Levonorgestrel online reliably from Meds For Less and expect Levonelle or Plan B next day delivery to your home address.

Levonorgestrel pills can be used as continuous pregnancy protection in the form of the progesterone pill or the combined pill. Alternatively, it can also be used as emergency contraception, in the form of the morning after pill.

For use as emergency contraception, Levonorgestrel works best when taken within 24 hours of an unprotected sexual incident,  however it can be taken within 72 hours and still retain 85-90% effectiveness.

The pill is taken as a single tablet with water, avoid crushing or chewing the pill as this reduces its effectiveness

If you vomit within 2 hours of taking the morning-after pill, you should consider this dose lost/ not absorbed and take another dose.

Morning After Pill Time Frame

The time frame is very important when taking the morning-after-pill (Levonorgestrel).

To avoid accidental pregnancies, it is best to take one Levonorgestrel tablet as soon as possible after unprotected sex. 

Levonorgestrel is most effective when taken within a 24 hour window of unprotected sex. However, it is still 85-90% effective if taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex.

If you experience vomiting within 2 hours of taking the morning after pill, then there is a high risk, that pill has not been properly absorbed, hence you should consider taking another dose.

Levonorgestrel belongs to a class of medicine called progestins. It is a synthetic version of the  hormone progesterone. It works by raising the effect of progesterone in the body.

The contraceptive effect is achieved by:

• Preventing or delaying ovulation (release of egg from ovaries)
• Thickening cervical mucus and delaying the sperm reaching the egg (if released)
• Altering the lining of the uterus and making it less suitable for implantation of a fertilised egg.

It is important to note that Levonorgestrel/morning after pill does not cause abortion of affect an established pregnancy.

Due to its hormonal effect, morning after pills can temporarily change and affect your menstrual cycle.

Morning after pills like Levonorgestrel can temporarily change and affect your menstrual cycle.

Some effects that the morning after pill can have on your periods include:

• Periods may come earlier or later than normal (up to a week or so)
• In some cases, period flows can be irregularly heavy or lighter than normal
• Spotting or irregular bleeding that occurs in the days before your period

However, these effects are temporary and cycles return to normal by the end of the month.

These changes occur because morning after pills slightly shift the timing of your ovulation. This also shifts hormone timing and delays periods slightly.

In the following circumstances – changes caused by the Levonorgestrel pill may be abnormal and may warrant review by a healthcare professional.

• If you find that your period is more than 7 days (a week) late – consider taking a pregnancy test
• If you experience very heavy or prolonged bleeding – see a doctor
• If your cycle remains irregular for 2-3 months, check in with your healthcare provider.

The following is an overview of the different emergency contraceptive pill (EC) options.  Here we attempt to compare Levonorgestrel based tablets with other options such as Ulipristal or comparing generic Levonorgestrel against branded options (Levonelle).

Levongestrel Tablet vs EllaOne

Levonorgestrel is a synthetic form of the progesterone hormone called progestin. It is best taken 24 hours after unprotected sex but retains 85-90% effectiveness if taken up to 72 hours  after unprotected sex.

Levonorgestrel works by delaying or preventing ovulation. It can sometimes impact menstrual cycles and sometimes cause periods to come slightly earlier or later. Levonorgestrel is a medicine that is available over the counter (OTC).

Ulirpristal acetate is also another form of emergency contraception. It is the generic form of the medicine called EllaOne. This medicine works belongs to a class of drugs called selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRM). It blocks and modifies the effect of progesterone on the body. The effect of this medicine is to prevent or delay ovulation, similar to Levonorgestrel.

EllaOne is taken as a single tablet and can be used up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex. It prevents 98-99% of expected pregnancies when used correctly. The sooner it is used, the more effective it is, but it remains highly effective to the 5^th day after an incident of unprotected sex.

With either medicine, it is important to consider drug interactions, especially when thinking about the efficacy of the medication. Please let your healthcare provider/ pharmacist know any other medications you have been taking when seeking to purchase the morning after-pill so they can ensure that the medicine is safe for you.

Levongestrel vs Levonelle

Levonelle is the brand name for the generic medication Levonorgestrel.

Levonorgestrel is the active ingredient, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone – it works to delay or prevent ovulation. It also thickens the cervical mucus and makes it more difficult for sperm to get past the cervix.

Both Levonelle and Levonorgestrel use the same active ingredient. Therefore they have the same function, mechanism of action, side effect profile and safety profile.

Both Levonelle and Levonorgestrel have the same efficacy and same time frame of use. They are 85-90% effective when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex but are more effective the sooner they are taken.

Both medicines are also available Over The Counter as options for emergency contraception, The only difference between Levonelle and Levonorgestrel is that the former is the branded form of the medicine (and hence may be a bit more expensive) while the latter is the generic form (and hence may be a bit cheaper).

For a more detailed EC pill comparison specific to your health needs, please consult with your healthcare provider.

Like most medications that have hormonal basis, Levonorgestrel has a certain side effect profile, please find an overview of some of Levonorgestrel’s side effects below:

Common but mild side effects include:

• Nausea or mild vomiting
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Mild breast tenderness
• Mild to moderate Headache
• Dizziness
• Abdominal pain or cramping

Less common but more moderate intensity side effects include:

• Irritability
• Diarrhoea
• Spotting or breakthrough bleeding before the next period

Rare side but serious side effects include:

• Severe allergic reactions – causing swelling of the hands, face or mouth
• Severe abdominal pain

If any of these rare side effects occur – please consult a medical professional as soon as possible.

For a full list of potential side effects with Levonorgestrel, please consult your healthcare provider as well as the patient information leaflet provided with this medicine.

The morning after pill is very effective at reducing unwanted pregnancy after incidents of unprotected sex. However its effectiveness depends on factors such as: the type of pill used, the timing of it’s use and how an individual responds to a pill. Here we discuss the effectiveness of the Levonorgestrel pill.

Levonorgestrel based pills such as Levonelle (brand name) should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex, however they are highly effective if taken within 72 hours. The effectiveness of these pills compared to the time after sex they are taken can be found below:

• 95% effective if taken within 24 hours
• 85% effective if taken within 24-48 hours
• 58% effective if taken within 48-72 hours.

Experiencing vomiting within 2 hours of taking any oral contraception can mean a high risk of missed absorption. This is equal to having missed the pill, hence in this circumstance, you should take another dose to ensure adequate cover.

Due to the importance of timing when considering emergency contraception, it is important to ask questions such as  “where can I buy plan B pill or Levonelle Pill ?”

You can easily purchase the morning after pill for a low-cost from a reliable pharmacy such as Meds for Less.

Simply order the pill online now and you can expect it to be delivered to your home address within 24 hours, reliably, confidentiality and privately.

You can also get the morning after pill from any reliable pharmacy near you.

Alternatively, you can also acquire the morning after pill at some GP practices, sexual health clinics (GUM clinics) or NHS walk-in-centres.

ECP Pill Cost

At Meds for Less, the morning after pill price is £8.45 for a pack of 1 tablet at a strength of 1.5mg

You can now order the morning after pill; reliably confidentiality and easily and expect next day home delivery.

Where Can I Get The Morning After Pill For Free ?

In the United Kingdom it is possible to get the morning after pill for free through NHS based providers. Places where you can get the emergency contraception pill for free include:

• Certain GP surgeries
• NHS walk-in-centres (such as emergency departments or urgent treatment centres)
• Sexual health (Genito-Urinary Medicine) clinics
• Some pharmacies also provide the morning after pill for free to under-25s

You can get both the Levonorgestrel based pills (Plan B or Levonelle) at these locations or the Ulipristal acetate based pills (Ella one).

If you are unable to acquire these pills for free, you can also purchase these emergency contraceptive pills for a low cost from reliable pharmacies such as Meds for Less.

Meds For Less provides easily, reliable and quick morning after pill delivery to your home address within 24 hours.

This is an important point to consider, there are no instant signs to confirm that the day after pill has worked. Therefore, it is important to watch out for certain signs which could indicate that the morning after pill has worked it’s effects, these include:

• Your next period arrives on time (or close to it)
  • Most people for whom the morning after pill has worked will get their period on time or within a week of the expected date.
  • Period flows may be a bit lighter, heavier, earlier or later – however this is normal
• Absence of pregnancy symptoms
  • Not developing symptoms such as a missed period, morning nausea, or breast tenderness that are indicative of pregnancy are reassuring signs.
• Pregnancy test
  • If your period is more than 7 days late or much lighter than usual, it is advisable to take a pregnancy test.
  • For a reliable result take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after taking the pill.