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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

380 replies

christmaselfie1 · 21/12/2020 15:52

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?!

OP posts:

ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes · 21/12/2020 17:52

Just remembered when I got one about 4 years ago I was taken into a side room and told there were 2 types and the more expensive one was more likely to work (so I got that, £40)

She didn’t explain why, but maybe this is the reason, both would stop ovulation but the more expensive one might prevent implantation too

Ohmango · 21/12/2020 17:54

Yabu for having taken it before and not bothering to find out how it works

Original poster

christmaselfie1 · 21/12/2020 17:57

@ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes From what I've read over the past few hours, neither pill has any effect after ovulation. There is some speculation on whether Ellaone prevents implantation, but this is from religious groups that seem to be suggesting it works as an abortion pill. On Ellaone's website it says it has no effect post-ovulation, and the same for Levonelle

OP posts:

ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes · 21/12/2020 17:57

Sorry OP I can’t do links on my phone and I think I was a rubbish googler as I was looking at a US site, verywellhealth.com about one called just Ella which might be different. It’s one pill containing ulipristal acetate 30mg

BertieBotts · 21/12/2020 17:57

I did know this, but only since I had TTC and learned (everything) about ovulation. When I was a younger and didn't want to be pregnant (so, probably the time I needed it) I didn't know. I can't remember whether I ever took the MAP - possibly once. I went with a friend to support her getting it once. But to be honest, the information wouldn't have been useful to me at the time because I had no idea when I ovulated or how I would know whether I already had or not. That was only info I learned later, again while TTC.

ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes · 21/12/2020 17:58

Apologies for getting your hopes up, I hope it works out ok

Original poster

christmaselfie1 · 21/12/2020 18:01

@ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes I've had a look at that website and I do think it is talking about the same pill! I'm not sure what to believe, as most of the information is saying that it only works by preventing ovulation... NHS, Webmb, Ella's website

OP posts:

FindHungrySamurai · 21/12/2020 18:01

Wider publicity around this might also stop bloody minded pharmacists unilaterally refusing to provide it because it offends their sense of morality. I’m assuming that not many pharmacists refuse to provide the pill or condoms?

BertieBotts · 21/12/2020 18:01

If it is of any comfort, you only have around a 20% chance of getting pregnant in any cycle even if you can be pretty sure that sperm met egg. So it's more likely that you won't be pregnant than that you will be, even without the help of the pill.

hospitalheist · 21/12/2020 18:06

Can everyone please stop calling it the morning after pill? It's emergency contraception. There are 3 types, levonelle (up to 72 hours), Ella one (up to 120 hours) and the copper coil (generally up to 7 days but a clever sexual health practitioner can plot ovulation and timings that may give a longer window - I'm not that clever). The number of women I meet who believe the morning after pill means they only have 24 hours is frightening.
Any oral EC is most effective as soon as possible after the incident. As previous posters have said, where you are in your cycle does affect it but it can be complex for many health professionals to ascertain dates and times etc. Unless it is contra indicated it is unlikely to cause any real harm so that's why it can be given as freely as it is after a basic consultation. The coil is the one with as close to 100% efficacy as you can get if it's fitted within the correct timescales. I always tell women this and give them the choice to go to SH to get one or at least be assessed. Very few do.
Pharmacists should be stating this too but not everyone will have remembered this from their training.
And don't forget it's free from GP's and sexual health. £35 is bloody steep in my view!

hospitalheist · 21/12/2020 18:08

@ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes

It's the same medication and dose here in the UK

SpilltheTea · 21/12/2020 18:10

It's not difficult to read the leaflet

Original poster

christmaselfie1 · 21/12/2020 18:18

@hospitalheist Thank you. Am I correct in thinking it only delays ovulation and has no baring on implantation?

OP posts:

DigitalChristmas · 21/12/2020 18:23

@MayDayHelp

It seems to be pretty recently that they’ve cottoned on to this. I had read it and when I needed the MAP after a contraception failure on the day of ovulation, I phoned the doctor who argued with me, and got quite shirty with me, saying it would still be effective. And then phoned me back later with his tail between his legs saying actually I was right and it wouldn’t work. I had to get a copper coil fitted as emergency contraception.

I was given a copper iud as emergency contraception back in 2004 due to where I was in my cycle. Was told that was my best chance to prevent pregnancy. This was at a family planning clinic.

Lookslikerainted · 21/12/2020 18:23

Women are told this, this is common knowledge and explained when the MAP is given out.

WelshTonks · 21/12/2020 18:23

It's quite worrying to read how many people here didn't know how it worked. Surely if you're relying on something as emergency contraception you would have the common sense to look up how it works before you need it? Especially OP since you've had it a few times so it's not even like it's your first time.

SmileyClare · 21/12/2020 18:24

Can people stop calling it The Morning After pill?

It is very effective (95%) in the first 24 hours so I don't think this is misleading. After 48 hours only 58% effective.

As Op has shown, the misconception that it can be relied on after 4 days is caused by calling it " Emergency contraception to be used in a 5 day window."

I agree Op, more information should be relayed to the patient by the pharmacist or doctor.

hospitalheist · 21/12/2020 18:28

[quote christmaselfie1]@hospitalheist Thank you. Am I correct in thinking it only delays ovulation and has no baring on implantation?[/quote]
My understanding is Ella prevents ovulation and has no impact on implantation. Levonelle prevents ovulation and also makes the lining of the womb 'hostile' to an implanted egg. So if I assess someone within 72 hours I will choose levonelle over Ella as it's double bubble! However to give levonelle I need to know someone's bmi as it's a fairly low number for them to require a double dose. For eg a 5'5" size 14 woman is highly likely to need the double dose so I height and weigh them first.

Original poster

christmaselfie1 · 21/12/2020 18:30

@hospitalheist I wasn't asked my height, weight, BMI. The only question was when I had the unprotected sex.

OP posts:

hospitalheist · 21/12/2020 18:30

@SmileyClare

Can people stop calling it The Morning After pill?

It is very effective (95%) in the first 24 hours so I don't think this is misleading. After 48 hours only 58% effective.

As Op has shown, the misconception that it can be relied on after 4 days is caused by calling it " Emergency contraception to be used in a 5 day window."

I agree Op, more information should be relayed to the patient by the pharmacist or doctor.

I don't disagree that it has greater efficacy the sooner it's taken but we wouldn't give it up to the treatment window if it had no benefit. That's why there is a cut off. I explain this to women so they can give informed consent. But calling it the MAP means many women don't even seek out assistance as they wrongly believe they are out of timescales

hospitalheist · 21/12/2020 18:31

[quote christmaselfie1]@hospitalheist I wasn't asked my height, weight, BMI. The only question was when I had the unprotected sex.[/quote]
Did you get levonelle or Ella one? It's only relevant for levonelle

jellyfrizz · 21/12/2020 18:31

@Lookslikerainted

Women are told this, this is common knowledge and explained when the MAP is given out.

That may be your experience but there's plenty of people here saying they didn't know this and have never been told when purchasing. Why would people lie about this?

Dullardmullard · 21/12/2020 18:31

@Lookslikerainted

Women are told this, this is common knowledge and explained when the MAP is given out.

Not all gp or pharmacist tell you and by the looks of this thread it isn’t common knowledge.

Original poster

christmaselfie1 · 21/12/2020 18:32

I was given Ellaone. 4 days after the sex occurred (Monday), I believe I ovulated either Wednesday or Thursday... I took Ella Friday evening.

OP posts:

ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes · 21/12/2020 18:33

I wasn’t told on 3/3 occasions and neither were many women on this thread

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