Everything you need to know about the morning after pill in Australia

The morning after pill is also known as the ‘emergency pill’. If you take it within a few days after having heterosexual sex, it can stop you from becoming pregnant. It’s important to understand how it works to get the best results, so let’s take a closer look at how the morning after pill works in Australia. 

What is the morning after pill?

The morning after pill is an oral contraceptive that is taken in one or two doses after intercourse to try to prevent pregnancy from occurring. You can get it over the counter in any pharmacy, or by prescription from your doctor. You might want to take the morning after pill if: 

• you’ve had unprotected sex
• you used a condom that broke
• you usually take the oral contraceptive pill but missed one or more pill
• you usually take the oral contraceptive pill and you’ve been vomiting, had diarrhoea or taken antibiotics – all of which can interfere with the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill.

What are the side effects of the morning after pill?

There are no long-term or serious side effects associated with morning after pill, but you may notice some short-term effects, including nausea, sore breasts, headache, abdominal pain and dizziness. These symptoms are considered normal but if you become concerned please make a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible. It is also normal for your next period to be on time, early or late. 

How effective is the morning after pill?

While the morning after pill doesn’t prevent all pregnancies, it has been found to be highly effective, preventing pregnancy in 80–98 per cent of cases. The sooner you take it after sex, the higher your chances that it will be effective. So, it’s important to see your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you’re concerned about your risk factors. 

How does the morning after pill work?

The morning after pill works by stopping your body from increasing the hormone that triggers ovulation. Without that surge of hormone, your ovary should not release an egg, and there will be nothing for the sperm to fertilise. If the egg has already been released, the morning after pill can still help because it slows down the movement of the egg and the sperm, making it much harder for them to meet. If sperm has reached the egg before you’ve taken the morning after pill, it’s too late for it to stop you from becoming pregnant.

How often can you take the morning after pill?

You can safely take the morning after pill as many times as you need to, but because it’s not as reliable as other forms of contraception, such as condoms and the contraceptive pill, it’s recommended that you only use it in an emergency. If you take the morning after pill twice or more in one menstrual cycle, it’s likely to upset your cycle.

Using condoms is also the safest way to prevent contracting a sexually transmitted infection. You can also read more about how to maintain good sexual health here.

How long after sex can you take the morning after pill?

You should take the morning after pill as soon as possible after sex, to give your body the best chance of preventing a pregnancy. There are two types of morning after pill in Australia, with different windows of effectiveness:

• LNG-ECP can be taken up to three days (72 hours) after sex.
• UPA can be taken up to five days (120 hours) after sex.

If you would like to talk to a doctor, InstantScripts can help. Our doctors are available 6am to midnight seven days a week.

This article was authored by Carolyn Tate, a Brisbane-based writer with a particular interest in women’s health, mental health and living well. She holds a Bachelor of Professional Writing and a Bachelor of Political Science.