Key takeaways

  • Take it as soon as possible. Levonorgestrel (i-Pill, Unwanted-72, Plan B) works best within 24 hours and is labelled for use up to 72 hours after unprotected sex.
  • It is safe. There is no evidence it harms future fertility, raises cancer risk, or damages a pregnancy if it fails — confirmed by WHO, FOGSI and ACOG.
  • It is not the abortion pill. Levonorgestrel mainly delays ovulation; it does not end an established pregnancy and is completely different from mifepristone/misoprostol.
  • The copper IUD is the most effective emergency contraception — over 99% — when inserted within 5 days, and it keeps protecting you for years.
  • It does not protect against STIs, and it is not a substitute for regular birth control.
  • If your period is more than 7 days late, take a home pregnancy test.

What the Morning-After Pill Is and How It Works

Emergency contraception is any method used after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure to prevent pregnancy. It is a backup, not a routine method, and it works differently from the daily birth control pill.

In India, the most widely available option is levonorgestrel 1.5 mg as a single dose, sold as i-Pill, Unwanted-72, Plan B, Pill-72, No-Will and Tpill-72. You can buy it over the counter at most chemists without a prescription.

There are three other forms you may come across:

  • Ulipristal acetate 30 mg (Ella/ellaOne abroad) is more effective than levonorgestrel and works for up to 5 days. It is not widely stocked in India as of 2026, though some hospital pharmacies and online platforms carry it intermittently for roughly Rs 500 to Rs 1,500.
  • The copper IUD (Cu-T 380A or 375) is the most effective emergency contraception of all when fitted within 5 days — over 99% — and it then gives you years of ongoing protection. See our full copper IUD guide for how it works.
  • The Yuzpe regimen (high-dose combined pills) is an older, less effective backup used only when nothing else is available.

How levonorgestrel works: its main job is to delay or block ovulation. By blunting the LH surge, it stops the ovary from releasing an egg, so sperm already in the body have nothing to fertilise. Because of this, levonorgestrel does not work if What Is Ovulation? Signs, Timing and Your Fertile Window has already happened — which is why timing within your cycle matters.

Crucially, levonorgestrel does not cause an abortion. It does not disturb an established pregnancy and does not harm a developing embryo if taken by accident after conception. WHO, the US FDA, NICE, ACOG and FOGSI all confirm this. It is a completely different medicine from the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol.

How ulipristal works: it is a selective progesterone receptor modulator and can delay ovulation even after the LH surge has begun, which is why it stays effective closer to ovulation. How the copper IUD works: copper ions create an environment hostile to sperm and prevent fertilisation, and can also prevent implantation — so it works even after ovulation.

Bottom line on effectiveness: levonorgestrel cuts pregnancy risk by roughly 60–85% depending on how quickly you take it; ulipristal by around 85% across the full 5 days; the copper IUD by over 99%. None of them is 100% effective.

Timing, Efficacy, and the Window of Use

Sooner is always better. Levonorgestrel works best within 24 hours, and its effect fades with every passing hour. The labelled window is 72 hours, but don't wait — buy and take it the same day if you can.

Roughly how efficacy falls with time:

  • Within 24 hours: prevents about 95% of expected pregnancies
  • 25–48 hours: about 85%
  • 49–72 hours: about 58–60%

Some studies show modest effect up to 96–120 hours, and WHO guidance allows levonorgestrel to be considered up to 120 hours if nothing else is available — but the official labelled window remains 72 hours. Ulipristal holds its efficacy better across the full 5 days and is preferred later in the window when you can get it. The copper IUD is the gold standard: it works for the full 120 hours with no meaningful drop-off, but you need a clinic to insert it.

Where you are in your cycle matters. Pregnancy risk is highest in your fertile window — roughly days 8 to 19 of a 28-day cycle, peaking in the five days before and the day of ovulation. That is exactly when emergency contraception is most needed. If unprotected sex happened well outside the fertile window, your pregnancy risk is low anyway — but taking the pill adds a safety margin with very little downside.

Multiple acts in the same cycle: one dose covers unprotected sex that happened in the immediate hours before you take it. It does not cover sex that happens after. Repeated doses in the same cycle are not recommended for efficiency reasons.

Body weight: studies suggest levonorgestrel may be less effective in women over about 75–80 kg or with a BMI over 25–30. If this applies to you, ulipristal or the copper IUD is a better choice.

Your next period may arrive on time, early, or late. About half of women get it on time, a quarter early (within 7 days), and a quarter late (more than 7 days delayed).

Side Effects, Safety, and Common Concerns

The morning-after pill has an excellent safety record. Side effects are usually mild and pass within a day or two.

Common side effects of levonorgestrel:

  • Nausea (about 15–20%) and occasionally vomiting (about 5%)
  • Headache (about 15%) and fatigue (about 15%)
  • Abdominal pain or cramping (about 15–20%)
  • Breast tenderness (about 10%) and dizziness (about 10%)
  • Spotting, irregular bleeding, or a shift in when your period arrives

If you vomit within 2–3 hours of taking the pill, take another dose — the first one may not have absorbed. If you're prone to nausea, an anti-sickness tablet (such as ondansetron 4 mg) 30 minutes beforehand can help.

Spotting in the days after is common and not a sign that anything is wrong. It is not your true period — learn the difference in our guide to spotting versus a period. A period more than 7 days late warrants a pregnancy test.

Long-term safety — the reassuring facts:
  • No increased risk of breast, cervical, ovarian or other cancers
  • No harm to your future fertility
  • No harm to future pregnancies after you stop using it
  • Not teratogenic — if it fails and pregnancy continues, it does not harm the baby

WHO, ACOG, FOGSI and NICE all confirm this favourable profile.

Breastfeeding: levonorgestrel is safe. Tiny amounts pass into breast milk but do not affect the baby, and you do not need to pump and discard. See our guide to contraception while breastfeeding.

Drug interactions: certain medicines reduce its effectiveness — some anti-epileptics (carbamazepine, phenytoin), rifampicin (used in TB treatment), some HIV medicines and St John's Wort. If you take these, a higher dose (3 mg, two pills) or the copper IUD is recommended. Routine antibiotics do not interfere.

Contraindications are very few — essentially severe liver disease, and existing pregnancy (where it simply wouldn't work). Serious allergic reactions are extremely rare.

Fertility returns immediately. Ovulation typically resumes within the very next cycle. There is no delay, no matter how many times you have used it.

Indian Context: Availability, Cost, and Brands

Where to get it. Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg single-dose tablets are stocked at virtually every chemist in metros and tier-2 cities. Online pharmacies — Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, Apollo 24x7, Netmeds, Practo — deliver in major cities within hours, often with discreet packaging.

Common brands and approximate prices (2026):

  • i-Pill (Piramal/Cipla): Rs 100–130
  • Unwanted-72 (Mankind): Rs 50–90
  • Plan B (Mankind): Rs 50–90
  • Pill-72 (Cipla): Rs 90–130
  • No-Will: Rs 60–100
  • Tpill-72: Rs 60–100

Every one of these contains the same active ingredient — levonorgestrel 1.5 mg — and is equal in safety and effectiveness. Brand choice comes down to price and what's on the shelf.

Privacy and stigma. Many young Indian women, especially in joint families, prefer not to buy it in person. Ordering online with discreet packaging sidesteps this entirely. Chemists in big cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata) generally dispense it without comment; in smaller towns where a chemist may ask questions, online ordering is the easy workaround. Emergency contraception is purely personal medical information — chemists and online pharmacies have no obligation to share your purchase with anyone.

Official support. NACO, the Ministry of Health and FOGSI all back over-the-counter access. Government hospitals, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) provide emergency contraception free or subsidised under the National Family Welfare Programme.

Copper IUD as emergency contraception. Cu-T 380A and 375 are available free or subsidised at government hospitals, and at private hospitals, gynae clinics and Marie Stopes clinics (total Rs 1,500–5,000 including device, consultation and insertion). It then gives 5–10 years of protection — compare the options in our emergency pill vs copper IUD guide.

Help and information. NACO and the National Health Mission run helplines (104 in many states) covering contraception. NGOs including the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Population Foundation of India and Marie Stopes India offer free, judgment-free resources.

After Taking the Pill: What to Expect and When to Test

Right away: take the pill with water, any time of day. Food isn't needed and doesn't affect absorption. Vomited within 2–3 hours? Take another dose.

First 24–48 hours: mild nausea, headache, fatigue or breast tenderness are common and settle within a day or two. Paracetamol is safe for a headache or cramps.

First week: light spotting or bleeding is common and harmless. It is not your period.

Your next period: about half of women get it within 7 days of the expected date, a quarter earlier, and a quarter later. If it is more than 7 days late, take a home pregnancy test.

Testing. Indian kits (i-can, Prega News, Velocit, Suhaag) cost Rs 50–150 and are accurate from about 14 days after ovulation, or roughly a week after a missed period. Our home pregnancy test guide walks through how to use one correctly, and how soon after unprotected sex you can test explains the timing.

If the test is positive: see a gynaecologist. Levonorgestrel does not harm a continuing pregnancy. Your choices include continuing the pregnancy or accessing a legal medical termination under the MTP Act (amended 2021), which permits termination up to 20 weeks for broad reasons including contraceptive failure, and up to 24 weeks in specific circumstances.

If the test is negative but your period is still late: retest in 3–7 days. Stress, the pill's hormonal effect and natural variation can all delay a period. See a doctor if it stays absent for more than 3–4 weeks past the expected date — our guide on a late period but not pregnant covers the common reasons.

Then sort out ongoing protection. Emergency contraception is a backup, not a plan. Afterwards, consider a reliable method — the daily pill, a hormonal or copper IUD, an implant, an injectable, or condoms. If a method failed (missed pills, slipped condom), restart it correctly: for combined pills, start the next pack and use condoms as backup for 7 days.

STIs. The morning-after pill does nothing against sexually transmitted infections. If the sex was with a new or uncertain partner, consider STI testing (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, hepatitis B and C) — NACO clinics offer it free and confidentially.

Emotional side. Using emergency contraception can bring anxiety, guilt or relief — all normal. Talking to a trusted friend, counsellor or doctor helps.

Repeated Use and Why Ongoing Contraception Is Better

Can you take it more than once? Yes. There is no evidence of long-term harm from repeated use, and it will not damage your fertility. But it is less effective than ongoing contraception, and needing it often is a clear sign a steady method would serve you better.

Twice in one cycle? Yes, if there's another episode of unprotected sex — the pill only addresses the recent exposure and gives no ongoing protection. It's less efficient, but not harmful.

Every month? You can, but it's not ideal. Monthly use is less effective than any ongoing method and causes more side effects (irregular bleeding, headaches, hormonal swings) than steady contraception. WHO and FOGSI both say repeated use is safe but recommend it only as a backup.

Ongoing options in India: combined pills (Mala-D, Yasmin, Krimson 35, Diane 35), progestin-only mini-pills, the copper IUD vs hormonal Mirena, the injectable DMPA, the contraceptive arm implant, and condoms.

Cost over time tells the story. Emergency pills at Rs 50–150 per use add up fast if used monthly. Mala-D costs about Rs 30 a month (free at PHCs). A copper IUD is Rs 500–3,000 for 5–10 years (free at government hospitals). Long term, ongoing methods are dramatically cheaper.

Effectiveness, side by side: emergency levonorgestrel is roughly 60–85% effective per use; combined pills 91–99% with typical use; copper and hormonal IUDs and implants all over 99%.

A single consultation (Rs 500–2,000 privately, free at government clinics, or via telemedicine on Practo, Apollo 24x7 and 1mg) can match the right method to your life — your hormone tolerance, period needs, future fertility plans, ease of access and budget. If you've reached for emergency contraception more than once or twice in a year, treat it as a nudge: a good ongoing method pays you back in protection, peace of mind and cost.

Special Situations: Assault, Teens, and Limited Access

Sexual assault. Emergency contraception is part of standard post-assault care. Government hospitals — especially designated One Stop Centres and District Hospitals — provide it free alongside HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, STI testing and treatment, and counselling.

You do not need to file a police report to receive medical care. Supreme Court directives and survivor-centred protocols support this. For support, call 112 (police), 1091 or 181 (women's helplines), or the Vandrevala Foundation Mental Health Helpline (1860-2662-345). Organisations such as Sakshi, Majlis, Jagori, RAHI Foundation and iCALL support survivors.

Teens. Emergency contraception is safe for any adolescent who has started menstruating — there is no minimum age, and NACO and FOGSI both support access. (POCSO Act protections apply to sexual contact with minors, but they do not restrict access to the pill itself.) For privacy, teens can use online pharmacies, anonymous helplines (NACO 1097, NHM 104) and youth-friendly clinics run by FPAI and the Naz Foundation. Comprehensive sex education makes all of this easier to navigate.

Rural and remote access. PHCs, CHCs and Sub-Health Centres provide emergency contraception free or at minimal cost, and ASHA workers can advise. Online ordering with home delivery now reaches many tier-3 towns.

Travelling abroad. Emergency contraception is available in most countries — the names differ (Plan B in the US, Levonelle in the UK, NorLevo in France, Postinor in Singapore) but the active ingredient is the same.

Religious and cultural concerns. Major medical bodies endorse emergency contraception as ethical precisely because it prevents — and does not terminate — a pregnancy. Many religious leaders distinguish between pregnancy prevention (widely accepted) and termination.

When to See a Doctor

The morning-after pill is safe to use on your own, but see a doctor in these situations:

Myths vs Facts about Emergency Contraception

Frequently asked questions

How late can I take the morning-after pill?

Levonorgestrel (i-Pill, Unwanted-72, Plan B) is labelled for up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, and works best within the first 24 hours — sooner is always better. WHO allows it to be considered up to 120 hours if nothing else is available, but efficacy drops sharply. A copper IUD inserted within 5 days is far more effective than any late pill.

Does the morning-after pill cause an abortion?

No. Levonorgestrel mainly delays ovulation so no egg is released. It does not disturb an established pregnancy and does not harm an embryo if you're already pregnant. It is completely different from the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol. WHO, FDA, ACOG and FOGSI all confirm this.

Will taking i-Pill many times affect my future fertility?

No. There is no evidence that repeated use harms fertility. Ovulation returns the very next cycle. That said, frequent use is a sign you'd be better served by an ongoing method like the daily pill, an IUD or an implant.

Does the morning-after pill work if I'm overweight?

It may be less effective above roughly 75–80 kg or a BMI over 25–30. If this applies to you, ulipristal acetate or a copper IUD is a more reliable choice — ask a pharmacist or doctor.

My period is late after taking the pill. Am I pregnant?

Not necessarily. The pill itself can shift your period earlier or later. Around a quarter of women have a period more than 7 days late. If it's more than 7 days overdue, take a home pregnancy test; if negative but still absent, retest in 3–7 days and see a doctor if it stays away beyond 3–4 weeks.

Does the morning-after pill protect against STIs?

No. It only prevents pregnancy. If the sex was with a new or uncertain partner, consider STI testing (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, hepatitis B and C) — NACO clinics in India offer this free and confidentially.

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