Emergency Contraceptive

Emergency contraceptive pills can be obtained from the pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription for women over the age of 16, who meet certain criteria. It is important to act quickly if you think you need emergency contraceptive. You can take the morning after pill up to 120 hours (five days) after sex, to avoid pregnancy.

A private consultation with our pharmacist is required to make sure this medication is safe for you to take. The morning after pill is suitable for most women to take but in some cases the pharmacist may deem it necessary for you to visit your GP or Family Planning Clinic. There can be a number of different reasons this could happen for example:

  • Too much time may have passed since you had sex
  • Your last period was in someway irregular
  • You are on other medications that interact with the morning after pill
  • You have a pre-existing medical condition that makes taking the morning after pill unsafe.

If the pharmacist supplies you with the morning after pill you will be given information on how it should be taken. You may also be offered some advice on long – term methods of contraception. These include “the pill” (combined oral medication), mini pill, patches, implants, intrauterine devices ( the coil) and vaginal rings.

To get further information on all forms of contraception please visit www.sexualwellbeing.ie. If you need to speak to someone about an unplanned pregnancy then visit   https://www2.hse.ie/unplanned-pregnancy/

Emergency Contraception is not a replacement for regular long-term contraception. Always read the label. Also note Emergency Contraception is not 100% effective.

For more information on Emergency Contraceptive you can visit: http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/E/Emergency-contraception/