How Long After Sex Can You Take the Morning-After Pill?

It depends on which one you take. Levonelle (levonorgestrel) works for up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex, and ellaOne (ulipristal acetate) works for up to 120 hours (5 days). The sooner you take your morning–after pill the more effective it is because it works by delaying the release of an egg. If you’re past those windows, or want the most reliable cover, the copper coil can be fitted up to 5 days after sex and is the most effective emergency contraception there is.

The options at a glance

How long is the window?

The deadline is 72 hours for Levonelle and 120 hours for ellaOne, but the limit matters less than how quickly you act. Both work by delaying ovulation, so they can only help if you haven’t released an egg yet, and their effectiveness falls after each hour that passes. Around 1 to 2 in every 100 women who take an emergency pill still become pregnant, and that number rises the longer you leave it. 

Can you take the morning-after pill 3, 5, or 7 days later? 

Within 3 days (72 hours) – Both pills are suitable options, and so is the copper coil. 

Between 3 and 5 days (72–120 hours) – ellaOne is the pill to use here, as Levonelle isn’t licensed beyond 72 hours. The copper coil is also an option, and a more effective one. 

After 5 days (120 hours) – Neither pill is licensed this late, and a coil can only be fitted up to 5 days after sex, or up to 5 days after you’re likely to have ovulated, whichever is later. If it’s been a week, speak to your GP or sexual health clinic about your options, and take a pregnancy test if your period is late. 

Does the morning after pill work after ovulation? 

Because both pills only delay ovulation, they can’t do anything once an egg has already been released. That’s why they become less reliable over time, and why ellaOne or the copper coil is the better choices later in your cycle or past the 3-day mark. The coil is the only method that still works after ovulation. 

Levonelle or ellaOne: which should you take?

The two work in similar ways, but a few things tip the balance: 

• EllaOne – is more effective overall, particularly when used closer to ovulation or within the 5-day limit. 

• Levonelle – may suit you better if you’re on hormonal contraception, because the hormone in ellaOne can make both your regular method and ellaOne itself less reliable when taken close together. 

• Higher BMI or certain medicines – If your BMI is over 26 or you weigh over 70kg, or you take certain epilepsy or TB medicines, Levonelle can be less effective, so a double dose, ellaOne, or a coil may be recommended instead. 

Don’t take both pills for the same episode. 

Complete a quick online consultation to decide which is right for you. 

The copper coil: the most effective option

If you want the most reliable form of birth control, the copper coil (IUD) is worth considering. It’s around ten times more effective than the pills, works even after ovulation, and can be fitted up to 5 days after sex by a nurse or doctor at a sexual health clinic or GP surgery. You can have it removed once you know you’re not pregnant, or keep it as ongoing contraception for 5 to 10 years (NHS). 

Who can take the morning-after pill?

Most women, including under-16s and anyone who can’t use regular hormonal contraception. 

You can use the morning-after pill if you are breastfeeding; a small amount of ellaOne may be present in breast milk, so you may be advised to express and discard the breast milk for 1 week after takinga dose. 

Emergency contraception may not be suitable for you if you’re taking steroid medication for asthma or you’re overweight. 

If you’re sick, or worried afterwards

If you’re sick within 2 hours of taking Levonelle or 3 hours of ellaOne, it may not have been absorbed, and you’ll likely need another dose. Get advice rather than assuming it worked. 

See a doctor or nurse if your next period is more than 7 days late, or lighter or shorter than usual; if you think you might be pregnant; or if you have sudden or unusual pain low in your abdomen. That last one can, rarely, be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which needs urgent care. 

Getting it quickly matters

Because both pills lose effectiveness by the hour, speed is the thing that helps you most. You can complete a consultation with The Family Chemist, and once our clinical team has checked the right option for you, we can get it sent out quickly, so you’re not left waiting while the window closes. If you are based in England, you get the morning-after pill for free through our NHS service (following an eligibility check).