How much does the morning after pill cost?

If you’ve had unprotected sex or experienced contraceptive failure, you may be thinking about accessing the morning after pill. One question which may be running through your mind is: “how much is the morning after pill?”. 

When it comes to getting the morning after pill, you have a few options. Read on to find out more.

No, you do not need a prescription to get the morning after pill in the UK. Emergency hormonal contraceptive pills are available from many pharmacies, sexual health clinics and online.

There are a few options available when accessing the morning after pill. You can access it from a local pharmacy in person, you can pay for click and collect, or you can access ellaOne® online via ellaOne® Direct.

ellaOne® retails at £34.95 as of July 2022. Prices vary for morning after pills containing levonorgestrel, but they typically retail at around £25. No contraceptive is 100% effective, but when taken within 24 hours ellaOne®, which contains ulipristal acetate, is the UK’s preferred morning after pill* and can reduce the risk of pregnancy to just 9 in 1,000.* ellaOne iis 2.5x more effective than levonorgestrel when taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex.

*Based on sales data. Verify at ellaone.co.uk/verify

If you prefer, you can order ellaOne® online via ellaOne® Direct. You will be asked to complete a short questionnaire to determine if ellaOne® is suitable for you, and then you can order it for £34.95 which includes free delivery 7 days a week in discreet packaging.

Morning after pills containing ulipristal acetate and levonorgestrel may be available for free from sexual health clinics. You may also be able to access some morning after pills for free from your local pharmacy, although this depends on the pharmacy.

The intrauterine device (also known as the IUD or the coil) is another method of emergency contraception and it also acts as a method of regular contraception. If you would prefer, you can discuss the IUD at a sexual health clinic or with your doctor.

Emergency hormonal contraceptive pills (also known as morning after pills) are taken in an emergency, i.e. if you have had unprotected sex or experienced contraceptive failure, so this could be if the condom broke or if you missed your pill.

There are two types of morning after pills available in the UK: those containing levonorgestrel, which can be taken up to 3 days after unprotected sex, and those containing uliptristal acetate, which can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Both options are most effective when taken ASAP.

The morning after pill works by delaying ovulation. It holds back the release of the egg, so any wandering sperm has nothing to fertilise and die off before the egg is released.  Please keep in mind that sperm can live in the body for up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Morning after pills are not abortion pills. They only delay ovulation, so if you have already ovulated they won’t be effective. 

It is really hard to pinpoint the exact moment of ovulation, as it can vary from person to person and from cycle to cycle, so it’s worth talking to your pharmacist or other professional rather than just risking it or assuming it won’t work.

However you access the morning after pill, we want you to feel empowered and secure in your choice. Have you ever taken the morning after pill? Why not share your story below?

ellaOne® 30mg film-coated tablet contains ulipristal acetate and is indicated for emergency contraception within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Always read the instructions on the package leaflet carefully.