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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Family planning

levonelle morning after pill doesn't work if taken when most fertile?

43 replies

saycheese · 13/12/2011 22:16

I had sex, day 14 of a 28 day cycle, condom burst and didn't realise till it was too late, went and got morning after pill and took it within an hour! Really worried so was looking up stats on google and came across an article in the telegraph posted 6 days ago saying an expert has said it doesn't work on the few days in the month you are most fertile!! I can't post a link as I'm on my phone. Is there any truth in this? The pharmasist didn't mention anything at all like that. X

OP posts:

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ahhyesiseeyouvepooedonsanta · 13/12/2011 22:18

Step away from Dr Google! I have never heard that so can't say for sure but it sounds like absolute arse... I would presume it's ok, I think you get some bleeding with the morning after pill, if you get that i would suggest you're home and dry, if not Do Not Worry and take a test in 3 weeks time to put your mind at rest.

saycheese · 13/12/2011 22:48

Haha thankyou for your reply, its just cos it was in the telegraph I thought it must be true.. I'd be less worried if it was the daily mail. No bleeding so far. X

OP posts:

TooMuchInLove · 20/01/2012 21:16

It is possibly true however unlikely.My experience was Split condom so took the MAP and it didn't work which the doctors said could have been down to the fact i was at the most fertile stage of my cycle so I did get pregnant. I have always put it down to the fact that I ate a grapefruit that morning and for some reason grapefruit juice can affect it (god knows how) but they did say it was possible i was just too fertile for it to work effectively.

doradoo · 20/01/2012 21:21

Worked for me 24hrs after the event at the most fertile time so not sure it's necessarily true.

Hope it pans out OP.

cazboldy · 20/01/2012 22:18

we had a split condom. I was only 14 at the time and was midmonth... i'm not sure exactly what day. I got pg, and I wasn't sick or anything.

We decided he was meant to be .... and he is 15 now

Best of luck xx

MsWeatherwax · 20/01/2012 22:20

It works by preventing your ovulation - so if you have already ovulated it may be too late. However you can only know that you've ovulated if you track your fertility through more than just counting the days, but with taking temperatures and such. Day 14 is just an approximation - it varies from woman to woman and often from cycle to cycle. Hopefully you won't have ovulated yet and it will work in time. You can also use an IUD for emergency contraception up to 5 days after the sex - this would be through its secondary effect of preventing implantation.

DiscoDaisy · 20/01/2012 22:21

It didn't work for me when the condom split and I was at my most fertile.
DS2 was meant to be!

srhm · 30/07/2013 02:24

Hi Ladies,

I'm not sure if this is the correct spot to post, im a newbie!

I'm looking for some advice. I have very regular periods (to the day!) and i track these and my fertile days, using a reliable app on my phone. I started my period on the 11th July and ovulated on the 24th. I know i ovulated as it's the same every month, i can feel it, cramps, mucus etc. I had sex with my boyfriend on the 25th, which i believe is a day after the 'egg' was released - and the condom broke. Basically there was zero protection. This was around 11pm. I took the morning after pill the next day around 5pm. According to my calender this day was still within my fertile period. I was just one pill, from the chemist. (I'm in Australia)

I've seen that apparently the MAP isnt effective if you are in your fertile days when the unprotected sex happened.
Today is the 29th and i am feeling extremely fatigued (for no reason), and have a strange twingey feeling on and off in my lower abdomen area..

Any advise would be appreciated!

P.S, thought i'd add that a few years ago i accidentally got pregnant whilst living overseas, and had no symtopms of pregnancy, sickness etc. Only realised at around 4 weeks pregnant. I terminated the pregnancy, and felt awful about it.

Thank you. :)

DaleyBump · 30/07/2013 02:34

No advice, but it's far too soon for you to have any pregnancy symptoms if you have conceived. I'd say a week, at the very, very least and that's really pushing it. Sounds like you're just going to get AF.

meditrina · 31/07/2013 15:09

I've just read the Levornelle pack leaflet (UK version) in which it says that it prevents 84% of expected pregnancies. As MAP is taken by those who believe they are at risk, then most of those taking it in the first place have had unprotected sex in what they believe is, or might be, their fertile period. It works for the majority.

The symptoms you describe are all listed in the pack leaflet as common side effects (affecting more than 1 in 10 of those who take it). Also, be aware that it can muck up your cycle by up to 5 days, so you can be late but still not pg.

But if you are really worried, then you are still within the time window for having an IUD fitted as emergency contraception. Perhaps, given your history, it is something to consider?

sugababy · 01/03/2014 18:17

Hey, don't worry too much. I was in the same situation. Day 14, most fertile part of the cycle. I took the pill approx 15 hours after the event and my period just started today on time! The main thing is not to think about this and stress over it, because you can go crazy :)

Ribnjak1 · 21/03/2015 23:23

I am infertile 3 days after my ovulation date, will this still be the same? Or have I become infertile once I've taken the pill? Will I be fertile again 4 days before my next ovulation date? Or will the pill mess up my cycle? I test my ovulation date by reading my mucus and temperature testing as I have an allergy to latex, spermicides and artificial hormones. So when my partner and I had a slight accident, taking the morning after pill was not something I took lightly. However, it is very difficult to find information about this matter. Please help. Many Thanks

scaevola · 31/03/2015 07:59

The short answer is that it can muck up your cycle.

You'll need to use another method until you have your NFP sorted out again. And worked out what the error was (in the method use itself, or just carried away?) to reduce chances of it happening again.

Have you tried latex-free condoms?

pleasehelp123 · 03/04/2015 00:13

I'm panicking a little.
The incident occurred Tuesday night and we didn't go all the way but towards the end I think he may have "gone in" and we're worried about precum. I'm not due for my period for another two or so weeks (I get mine around the middle of the month) and I took the morning after pill twice the next day - the first time 13 hours after the incident and it didn't stay down and the second one about 2.5 to 3 hours after the first one and it stayed down.
I was sick from about quarter to three yesterday morning and am still feeling nauseous. I'm worried I was at my most fertile time and Idodon't know what to do if I've accidentally gotten pregnant. I'm noton the birth control pill and I'm really worried. I've had minor abdominal pains on and off as well and because it's good Friday i don't think any doctors are open. If anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it.

scaevola · 03/04/2015 07:05

If you are that worried, ring 111 for advice on what else can be done (eg coil) and where is open today/tomorrow in your area.

And as soon as you can, make an appointment with your GP or a provider like FPA or Brook, to sort out a means of contraceptive for this relationship.

FishWithABicycle · 03/04/2015 07:31

The MAP works by preventing ovulation and it's quite likely you already ovulated on those timings. If he didn't ejaculate inside you and it was just precum then the probability is much lower that you are pg so you could just hope for the best. However there is a chance that there was enough sperm in the precum and a ripe and ready egg waiting for it. So if a pregnancy would be a disaster you need to devote the next 2 days to getting access to an emergency fitting of a copper coil, which will prevent the fertilised ovum from implanting in the womb. This happens 5 days after fertilisation so it needs to be done today or tomorrow. Call nhs 111 to ask how to arrange this because if you haven't done tho by Sunday you could well be choosing between whether to continue with an unplanned pregnancy or having an abortion in a few weeks time. Imo it is worth utterly ruining any plans you and your family may have had for the Easter weekend to avoid that.

gingin96 · 23/09/2015 07:34

Hi ladies I need some advice!
My partner and I had unprotected sex day 16 of my cycle (right in the middle of ovulation) i took the morning after pill a few hours later.. It's only been 5 days but my boobs are hurting and I've been sick.. Not sure if these are period symptoms or pregnancy. My period is due in 10 days.. What would you suggest I do? When is the earliest I can take a pregnancy test as he's in the army so we will need to get married to live together.

scaevola · 23/09/2015 07:41

The earliest you can take a test with a good level of certainty is 14 days after the unprotected sex.

The symptoms you describe are common side effects of the MAP.

There isn't really anything you can do but sit it out for another week or so. (And remember that MAP can throw your cycle out by 5 days).

chocoraisin · 25/09/2015 13:05

MAP didn't work with DS2. I'm very glad :) but yes, I was in the most fertile part of my cycle when we had sex.

emilyyyyy · 14/11/2015 16:41

Heyy, I need some advice. I'm turning 15 in a few days...and recently I had sex with my boyfriend...but unfortunately his condom broke... I just took the morning after pills today within 72 hours after I had sex with him. Its been a few hours and I haven't see any effects yet...should I be worry that I'm pregnant? Since the research say the pill doesn't work if you are already pregnant. If anyone has some advice...please comment and let me know.

MiniJellyBeans · 14/11/2015 19:35

Hi Emily, there normally aren't any particular symptoms after taking emergency contraception (there are very few side effects) - did you expect something like bleeding straight away? Sometimes there will be a light "withdrawal bleed" about 4-5 days after taking it, and your next period may be slightly delayed. You can have a pregnancy test about 3 weeks after the unprotected sex to give you a definite answer about whether you're pregnant or not; other than that it's too early to tell. It's unlikely you would be pregnant if you haven't had any other episodes of unprotected sex and took the pill as advised.

Even though you're under 16 you can visit your GP or a sexual health clinic for advice about future contraception, and as long as you're mature enough to understand the advice and there is no evidence that you're being abused etc, staff would not inform your parents/school etc. Under 16's are normally entitled to exactly the same confidentiality as adults. Feel free to message me if you want more help! All the best.

emilyyyyy · 15/11/2015 01:38

Thank you for your reply :) I had sex with my boyfriend yesterday again but without any protection before I took the pill...will it still work?

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AndNowItsSeven · 15/11/2015 01:53

Talk to your mum, you are only 14. Getting pregnant should not be your only concern. The law on under age sex is to protect you , not to spoil your fun.

MiniJellyBeans · 15/11/2015 08:00

Emily, in answer to your question, if both episodes of unprotected sex occurred within the 72 hours before taking the pill it is still effective (although "morning after pills" are not 100% effective).

However, AndNow has good advice above - if at all possible speak to an adult relative about your current situation, or if it really isn't possible for you to do that, you could speak to your school nurse or visit a contraception and sexual health clinic (sometimes called family planning clinic) as I mentioned above. Are you fully willing to have sex with your boyfriend or is there pressure put on you to do so?

emilyyyyy · 15/11/2015 15:54

I am willing to have sex with my boyfriend and there was no any pressure that made me have sex with him...my parents are very strict, I don't think I can talk to any of my relative about it

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