Everyone makes mistakes and unprotected sex can be one of the biggest mistakes of your life. Condoms burst and alcohol can take away your reason. But help is at hand and can be very easy to find.

So how can you tell if you’re in danger of getting pregnant after an unplanned sexual encounter? Well, it’s easy… the egg is released 14 days before the next period and lives for about 48 hours. Sperm can live up to five days. So with a normal 28-day menstrual cycle, the dangerous time will be day 9-16 of the cycle (maybe add a day on each side to be safe).

In the UK the usual brand of ‘morning after pill’ is called Levonelle One Step. It can be bought at any pharmacy and costs around £28. The pharmacist has to be involved in the sale but after a couple of questions, the pill is yours. The sooner it is taken, the better, but as long as the tablet is taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, Levonelle is highly effective. If taken within 24 hours it is 95% effective, 25-48 hours 85% effective, 49-72 hours 58% effective.

Levonelle contains a hormone called levonorgestrel, which is a synthetic version of progesterone that occurs naturally in women. It works by;

• Prevention of implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus

• Stop the release of an egg from the ovaries

• Prevent an egg from being fertilized

Some people experience side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. If vomiting occurs within two hours of taking the tablet, another should be taken immediately.

Levonelle is also available free of charge from most pharmacies under a special NHS scheme. This will involve a slightly longer discussion with the pharmacist in private. Various search questions will be asked such as;

• When was the last time you had unprotected sex?

• What was the date of your last period?

• What is your normal contraceptive method?

• What other medications do you take?

• Do you have any long-term medical conditions?

• Have you had a chlamydia test?

I guess the pharmacist needs to make sure that Levonelle is not used regularly for birth control and that you are not promiscuous or transmitting sexually transmitted diseases. Fair enough, and considering there won’t be any charges, then it’s surely worth answering some awkward questions.

There is no shame in going to the pharmacy anymore. They all have private consulting rooms and most pharmacists are very professional in their own way. So even if you’d rather pay for the tablet, surely £28 could be a wise and reassuring investment.

Visit http://www.betterhealthadvice.com/emergency-contraception/ for more information on this topic.