To think women should be told this about the morning after pill?

[christmaselfie1]

The morning after pill is directly linked to ovulation, and if you have already ovulated then it is pretty much pointless!

I had sex where the condom split on Monday last week, but due to covid restrictions and living rurally I was not able to get the morning after pill until Friday (4 days after sex). I have taken Ellaone before, the brand that you can take up to 5 days after, so assumed that all would be okay. I am also tracking my cycles on the instruction of my gynaecologist because I suffer with ovarian cysts.

I got my LH surge and a positive ovulation test on Wednesday morning, which means ovulation would have occurred imminently, most likely well before I took the morning after pill on Friday evening!

Since researching, I have discovered that the morning after pill works by delaying or preventing ovulation. Therefore, if you have already ovulated, and the sperm happened to meet the egg in that time, the morning after pill has pretty much zero effect! You can read it yourself on the manufacturers website...

www.ellaone.co.uk/faqs/does-ellaone-work-if-youve-already-ovulated

I have taken the morning after pill three times and I have never been told this by any pharmacist. I have never been informed on how it works, just that is it effective up to 5 days after unprotected sex. The only emergency contraception that works in these circumstances is the IUD. I have now got the worry for the next week that I might be pregnant.

Am I the only person that had no idea how the morning after pill works?!

Taking the morning after pill 4 days later.... after having unprotected Sex it wouldn’t shock me if anybody said they were pregnant!

I am all in favour of contraception and women's right with their body. But needing to take the morning after pill on 4 occasions and potentially allocating blame on a pharmacist that should or should not have explained its process to you, I think it's irresponsible.
Sure, blame me for saying this, but with freedom comes responsability.
Accidents happen.. But 4 times? I quite agree with other comments that it's fair to assume that a pharmacist would have probably asked you if you had already used the medication and, should you answer positively, expect you to know what you are taking!

What, 4 condoms can’t split in 20 years?

I’ve not taken it myself but have been with friends to get it (when younger and needing moral support) and I had no idea! This seems like a big ‘if’ and many people have no idea if they’ve ovulated!!!

@brokeuse I’m afraid I think that’s a bit harsh.
I’ve had contraceptive failures which weren’t condoms splitting. Having a vomiting bug or the squits while on the pill. Plus a condom sliding off on withdrawal. It’s not an especially high rate of failure over the thousands of times I’ve had sex.
Each time I have been aware that the ‘responsibility’ lies solely with me (despite not being the only one who had sex). I researched and went to the pharmacy as the MAP seemed the best option.
When I went in I had a single goal; to ensure I wasn’t pregnant. That’s the only reason I went in and bought the pill. I totally understand that a pharmacist has to ask some questions to ensure the pill doesn’t do any harm but as the one point of taking the MAP is to stop a pregnancy you’d think they’d mention that if there’s a reason it might not work.
I was in distress. Did some research and approached an expert for help. I don’t think this makes me irresponsible or that I was unreasonable to expect to be told the solution the expert supplied and I paid for may not work.

Never knew this, never got Tolstoy's when I took it once several years ago. Hope everything works out for you OP.

I can prescribe the morning after pill (nurse). we go through a checklist, that will tell us if it is appropriate or not (time since lmp etc) we always offer IUD if dates /timing does not work out. I would have assumed this was normal practice who ever prescribes it?

I've used it twice, not ever been told this. Like others, I thought it induced a period.
Both times I was taken into a seperate room and asked lots of questions, but not given any info other than it might cause period to come on early and might make me feel sick.
Crucially I was required to take it in the room in front of the pharmacist, and was given the leaflet AFTER I had taken the pill.

I had no idea. I've never taken one before but I assumed it stopped the egg from fertilising somehow or prevented it from fertilising further. I didn't realise it wasn't effective if you've already ovulated!

In the 20 yrs I've been sexually active I've taken the MAP 4 times, most recently in November, and never has it been explained to me. Pharmacists shouldn't rely on everyone reading the leaflet, so no OP, YADNBU

I’d had it before everything was fine. However, I went for it a year ago and was told due to when ovulation had occurred ‘it’ll be as effective as taking a smartie’.
Had to get the copper coil 😕 an unpleasant year of long and erratic periods followed.

Get a coil fitted. That will work.

Don't try and blame the pharmacist. If you are so clued up about when you ovulate why did you have unprotected sex at your most fertile time? Condoms are available even in rural locations.

I didn't know this until I took it last year and did some research and was worried it wouldn't work. I am married with 2 children, I now have the coil.

I had no idea this was the case! I thought the MAP was bulletproof as long as it was used as soon as possible after. Thanks so much for starting this thread op.

My sister worried about this too op but her twins were born very healthy with no problems.

I didn't have unprotected sex, I used a condom. I am unable to take hormonal contraceptives at the moment because I am being seen by a gynaecologist as I suffer from ovarian cysts...

The MAP was made for circumstances like this. As it is clear from this thread, there are a lot of women who have been misinformed as to the efficacy and purpose of the MAP. You don't see on the adverts '99% effective, but if you ovulate it does jack shit!'

My MAP (which I took less than 24hrs after sex) failure is now 20years old. Was definitely told in those days that it prevented implantation rather than ov. It's shocking that people are still not being made properly aware!

Perhaps it should say something on the front of the packet. You should always read small print of anything you take but I do think sometimes when anxiety and urgency are involved it's easy to overlook details.

I agree it should say on the packet. It’s not exactly a minor detail!

It doesn't say anything on the packet, I checked earlier.

Yes but it definitely ought to

@yetanothernamitynamechange

Plus I remember (catholicish european country) being told by the pharmacist that I should know the MAP could cause the destruction of an already fertilised egg if I took it too long after unprotected sex. That certainly contradicts the idea that it is inneffective after ovulation.

Yes that's what's confusing me. I've never been told it stops ovulation, I remember reading info on MAP that said it stops implantation, can't remember the leaflet but it's definately how it used to be portrayed years ago and I've seen nothing myself since that says different. Lots of people saying 'how did you not know?' Well it doesn't advertise itself as 'can be taken 5 days after sex, but not if you've ovulated'. I guess keep don't know all the time if they have or not so it's worth a go in that respect.

I was not told this! And I was being given it after being raped as well. This was seven years ago so I don’t know if the advice has changed since then. I’m glad i must not have ovulated, oh my god! All I was given info about was whether to bother taking the anti HIV stuff as it had nasty effects. I just assumed the morning after pill was supposed to work! Glad you’re telling people.

@onlymyselftoanswerto1

My MAP (which I took less than 24hrs after sex) failure is now 20years old. Was definitely told in those days that it prevented implantation rather than ov. It's shocking that people are still not being made properly aware!

That's definately how it used to be explained. I'm really irritated that it's not been updated or people made more aware.