What is Emergency Contraception?
Yvonne Griffin, our Pharmacist in Hilton’s Allcare Pharmacy, Dun Laoghaire, discusses the ‘morning after pill’ and consultation.
What is the morning after pill?
The emergency contraceptive pill (sometimes called the ‘morning after pill’) is a pill that you can take after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. The morning-after pill is available directly from a pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription, subject to meeting certain criteria.
The emergency contraception service is available free of charge to medical cardholders.
How does emergency contraception work?
If you think you need emergency contraception, it is important to act quickly. Emergency contraception is a safe, effective, and responsible method of preventing pregnancy when regular contraception has failed or if no contraception was used.
Emergency contraception can be effective up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex, but it is important to take it as soon as possible as the quicker you take it the more effective it works.
How does the private consultation with an Allcare pharmacist work?
Our Allcare pharmacists have been trained to treat requests for emergency contraception professionally and confidentially. The pharmacist will need to ask a few simple questions before giving you the medication. This will help ensure that the morning after pill is suitable for you to use. If for any reason it is not suitable, the pharmacist will direct you to another source for help and support.
Can I answer the consultation questions online?
Yes, to save time, we have an online consent form that can be completed in advance of you visiting the pharmacy. This is a short form that will ask you a couple of questions. Once you click submit, your Allcare chosen pharmacy will receive your details. Your Allcare pharmacist will review your form and will be prepared for your short consultation in-store.
Can I request a phone consultation?
Yes, you can request a phone consultation and your local Allcare pharmacist will call you to carry out the consultation. Your medication will be ready for collection within 1 hour (during store opening hours). You will still need to come to the pharmacy yourself to collect the medication.
Why might the medication not be suitable for me?
Some of the reasons it may not be suitable to supply emergency contraception include:
- Too much time has passed for the medicine to be effective
- You may be taking other medicines that interact with emergency contraception
- You have an existing medical condition that means it is not safe to take emergency contraception
- Your last period was irregular in some way
Remember, emergency contraception cannot protect against a sexually transmitted infection. Talk to your local Allcare pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about STI’s or emergency contraception. Visit www.thinkcontraception.ie or www.sexualwellbeing.ie for more information.