Emergency contraception is the last resort and should only be used if you have had unprotected sex or if the contraception you’ve used has failed. Previously, you would have to go to the pharmacy, contraception clinic, sexual health clinic or your GP surgery to get emergency contraception, but now it is available online. Online sales of emergency contraception (EC) have soared during the pandemic, with sales of one type of emergency contraceptive pill on Dr Fox Online Pharmacy increasing by 197 percent between April 2020 and January 2021 compared with the previous 10 months. Here’s how you can get the morning-after pill in advance, according to Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy.
Many women think of emergency contraception as a pill you take when your regular contraception method hasn’t worked or gone to plan.
But did you know that there are actually three choices of emergency contraception?
Dr Lee has explained the pros and cons of each one.
READ MORE- Coronavirus and contraception: How to get birth control in lockdown
How you can get the morning-after pill in advance
You can get the morning-after pill in advance on prescription in a few circumstances.
According to the NHS website, you can get the emergency contraceptive pill in advance of having unprotected sex if:
- you’re worried about your contraceptive method failing
- you’re going on holiday
- you can’t get hold of emergency contraception easily
You can also get the morning after pill in advance without visiting your GP in person.
Dr Fox is a fully regulated online pharmacy run by NHS GPs, and you can purchase the morning-after pill on the website.
Dr Lee, who works for Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, said: “Dr Fox only supplies EC to women who wish to keep the preparation at home as an advance supply.
“This is because when a woman needs emergency contraception, Levonelle, works best the sooner it is taken after unprotected sex.
“It, therefore, makes no sense to order it today and wait for it to arrive in the post.
“However, it does make sense, to keep some in the bathroom cabinet, so there is a supply on hand to take as soon as possible if needed.”
Buying your emergency contraception online in advance is probably the easiest way to do it during a pandemic, with online sales of emergency contraception have risen by nearly 200 percent in the last year.
All you need to do is complete an online questionnaire which will be reviewed by a qualified doctor.
The doctor will do all the necessary checks, and will only sell emergency contraception in advance and never to anyone under 16 years old.