Emergency Hormonal Contraception also known as the “morning after pill”, is a tablet that you take after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. It can also be used if regular contraception has failed or you are worried that your regular contraception may not have been used or taken correctly. If you think you may need emergency contraception it is always important to act quickly and consult your pharmacist for advice. It is important to note that it is most effective when taken as close as possible to the event.
The morning after pill is available to you directly from your local pharmacy, without a prescription for those over 17 years of age, subject to meeting certain criteria.
The emergency contraception service is available free of charge to medical card holders when a valid card is presented and to persons aged 17-35 with a PPS number. For other customers, a fee will be charged, depending on the outcome of the consultation and the type of emergency contraception supplied
Emergency Hormonal Contraception may not be suitable if:
- Too much time has passed since the unprotected sex for the medicine to be effective (max time is 120 hours)
- You may be taking other medications or have certain medical conditions that make it unsafe for you to use emergency contraception
- Allergies to any of the ingredients in the medication
- You have already taken an emergency contraceptive pill within this cycle.
- Your last period was irregular in some way
Our pharmacists will determine if the morning after pill is suitable for you. If for any reason the pill is not suitable, there may be further options available. Our pharmacists are trained to be able to direct you to the correct source for help or support.
Morning after pills are not 100% effective. This is because there is a chance that you may have already ovulated when you take an emergency contraceptive pill. Taking emergency contraceptive pills as soon as possible after unprotected sex gives the best chance of success.
It should be noted that the morning after pill cannot protect against a sexually transmitted infection. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about STI’s or visit www.thinkcontraception.ie for more information.