Morning-after Pills (EllaOne and Escapelle)
What is a morning after pill?
The morning after pill (also known as Plan B or the day after pill) is a type of emergency contraception. It is a special type of contraceptive that is used after a woman has had sex to prevent pregnancy. It can be used after unprotected sex (no ...
How many morning after pills do I need to take? Will I need more than one dose if I am overweight?
In most cases, you only need to take one pill. An exception to this rule is women who are over 70 kg or BMI over 26 , who may need to take a two pills if they are using Levonelle or Escapelle. This does not apply to EllaOne. Each dose protects you ...
How many times can I use a morning after pill?
There is no limit to how many times you can use a morning after pill, even in the same month. There is no evidence of longer term harm to your body from the use of morning after pills. However, if you find yourself using morning after pills ...
How soon should I use a morning after pill?
You should use a morning after pill as soon as possible after sex. The sooner it is used, the more likely it is to prevent pregnancy. EllaOne can be effective up to 5 days after sex, whereas Levonella and Escapelle can be effective up to 3 days after ...
What is the difference between morning after pills?
In Malta, the most commonly sold morning after pills are Levonelle, Escapelle, and EllaOne. All are available over the counter (no need for a doctors' prescription) and are available in may pharmacies in Malta and Gozo. The costs of morning after ...
I have missed my combined oral contraceptive pill (COC). Can I use a morning after pill?
If you are on a combined oral contraceptive pill (ie: most pills except Lamya), you are usually still protected against pregnancy if you missed only one pill. If you have missed 2 or more pills anywhere in the pack or started a new pack 2 or more ...
I have missed a mini pill (POP). Can I use a morning after pill?
Please note this article only applies to mini pills (also known as progestogen-only pills or POPs). If you use the more popular combined pills (ie: any contraceptive pill in Malta that is not Lamya or Cerazette) read this article instead. If you are ...
What are the side effects of morning after pills?
Taking the emergency contraceptive pill has not been shown to cause any serious or longer term health problems. However, like any other medicine it can sometimes have side effects which usually go away quickly after use. Common side effects include: ...
Can I use a morning after pill if I take other medicines?
Most medicines, including most antibiotics, do not interact with the morning after pills and do not reduce their efficacy. However, these medicines do interact with morning after pills and may reduce their efficacy: the herbal medicine St John’s Wort ...
Can I use morning after pills while breastfeeding?
Yes, but you should opt for Levonorgestrel-based morning after pills (Levonelle or Escapelle) if you want to continue breastfeeding. Although small amounts of the hormones contained in the pills may pass into your breast milk, it is not thought to be ...
I have a medical condition. Can I use a morning after pill?
In almost all cases, yes you can still use a morning after pill. Morning after pills are very safe medicines and they can even be used by women who cannot normally use hormonal contraception for health reasons. There are no medical conditions that ...
How do I buy the morning after pill in Malta?
The morning after pills are available without a doctor's prescription from many pharmacies in Malta and Gozo. Escapelle and Levonelle cost between 10 and 20 Euro, whereas EllaOne costs around 30 Euro. A pharmacist may ask you some questions related ...
Can I buy the morning after pill if I am 16 or 17 years old?
Yes, you can get the morning after pill in Malta without your parents' consent. The law in Malta sets the age of sexual consent at 16 years. The law also deems most people from the age of 16 years onwards to be able to consent to medical treatment ...
How much do morning after pills cost?
In Malta, Escapelle and Levonelle cost between 10 and 20 Euro, whereas EllaOne costs around 35 Euro.
My vaginal ring fell out. Should I take a morning after pill?
If the ring has been out for less than 3 hours, rinse it with warm water and re-insert it as soon as possible. You are still protected against pregnancy and you do not need to take additional precautions. If the ring has been out for more than 3 ...
Can I use a morning after pill after ovulation?
Morning after pills work by inhibiting ovulation and fertilisation. However, it is very difficult to know exactly when you have ovulated. For this reason, it is recommended to use a morning after pill whenever you have unprotected sex if you do not ...
How do morning after pills work? Do morning after pills cause an abortion?
Morning after pills work by inhibiting ovulation (release of the egg) and fertilisation (the fusion of an egg and sperm). They do not inhibit implantation of a fertilised egg. They also do not terminate an established pregnancy. Morning after pills ...
Do morning after pills affect fertility?
No, morning after pills - both Escapelle and EllaOne - do not affect your chances of becoming pregnant in the future.
Can you help me get the morning after pill?
If you have been turned away at a pharmacy because the pharmacist is conscientiously objecting to the morning after pill, they should have given you details of other pharmacies that can sell you the morning after pill. If they failed to do this, ...
How effective are morning after pills?
Morning after pills are about 75% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means they prevent three out of four pregnancies that would otherwise happen if morning after pills are not used. The earlier they are used, the better. For example, studies ...
I threw up or vomited after taking a morning after pill. Should I take another one?
If you vomited within two hours after taking Escapelle or Levonelle, or within three hours after taking ellaOne, the efficacy of the morning after pill may be reduced and you should take another dose. If you vomited after these times, then the ...
How do I know if the morning after pill has worked?
Getting their next period is how women usually confirm the morning after pill has worked. However, after using a morning after pill it is quite common for the next period to be up to 7 days later than usual, because the morning after pill delays ...
Where can I buy the morning after pill?
The morning after pills can be found in many, but not all, pharmacies in Malta and Gozo. You do not need a doctor's prescription to buy them. For a list of pharmacies that sell the morning after pill, check the website pharmacy.com.mt. If you are ...
How do I get the morning after pill on Sunday?
Not all pharmacies open on a Sunday or a Public Holiday. Check this roster to see what pharmacies are open that day. Not all of these may sell the morning after pills, so you may want to call the pharmacy before you go. Remember that morning-after ...
Does EllaOne (ulipristal) cause liver disease or liver damage?
No. EllaOne has been in use in the EU since 2009 and there have been no reports of serious liver injury resulting from the use of EllaOne. When used as an emergency contraceptive, ulipristal - the active ingredient in EllaOne - is not associated with ...
Can I buy a morning after pill for future use?
You can try purchasing one, but pharmacies in Malta may be reluctant to provide the morning after pill for future use, even though this practice is common in many countries. Check your local pharmacy to be sure. However, you can legally and safely ...