The morning-after pill needs to be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex.

What is the morning-after pill?
The morning-after pill is the most common type of emergency contraception, and it has become very widely used since being made available over the counter in Britain in 2001.

It should really be called 'the postcoital pill' or 'PCP' - because it's not just for morning-after use. In fact you can take it any time up to 72 hours after unprotected sex.

The morning-after pill or PCP is used when a woman has an act of unprotected intercourse or when a contraceptive method fails, eg when a condom bursts. It is also used when a woman who takes the Pill has had a tummy upset and is worried that she may have 'lost' her pill and its effectiveness against pregnancy.

The PCP is also of immense value in cases of rape. Any woman who has been raped should definitely be offered this treatment as soon as possible.

The older type of PCP contained a combination of oestrogen and progestogen. This is no longer available, but since February 2000, there has been a new PCP called Levonelle-2. This contains only one hormone - a progestogen - and it is claimed to be more effective than the old type of PCP. It is also less likely than the old PCP to cause nausea, and it causes very little in the way of side effects.

Early in 2001, the UK introduced an 'over-the-counter' version of this, called 'Levonelle'. You can get it from any chemist - unless the pharmacist has any moral objections. However, it can only be sold as an over-the-counter product to women who are 16 years of age and older. The pharmacy are obliged to offer you brief counselling about the PCP and its possible side effects before handing it over. The cost to you is currently £20.

Both these PCPs are taken in two doses. The first dose must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex and the second dose exactly 12 hours later.

Bear in mind that on Bank Holidays, when most chemists are shut, it's usually possible to obtain the PCP from pharmacies in Superstores. (See below how to get the PCP free - via a doctor.)

When do I need the postcoital pill?
The PCP should be taken if a woman is worried she has become pregnant after unprotected sexual intercourse or if the condom has split during intercourse.

How effective is the PCP?
It prevents about 95 per cent of pregnancies from developing if it is taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex. This decreases to an estimated 85 per cent if taken within 24-48 hours and to 58 per cent if taken within 48-72 hours, so it is important to take the first dose as soon as possible.

How does the postcoital pill work?
The hormones in the PCP may stop an egg from being released. Or they may stop a fertilised egg from implanting itself in the womb.

How do I get the PCP?
Apart from the new 'over-the-counter' service described above, you can get the tablets FREE on an NHS prescription. Contact your doctor as quickly as possible, or go along to your local Family Planning Clinic. Alternatively, contact BPAS (www.bpas.org), Brook (08000 185023), or a Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) Clinic at you nearest large hospital.

At holiday times, when most surgeries and clinics are closed, some Accident and Emergency hospital departments will give you emergency contraception. Remember that you have to take your first dose within seventy-two hours of the unprotected intercourse.

If you are taking another kind of medication, you should tell the doctor. Some medication will diminish the effect of the postcoital pill.

Also, remember to tell the doctor if you feel sick, are throwing up, or have diarrhoea - because the PCP might not work so well.

What is the commercial name of the PCP?
The new PCP is calledLevonelle-2 (or simply Levonelle in the 2001 over-the-counter version). Whichever brand you take, the doctor will tell you how many pills to take - and you should follow these instructions very precisely.

How do I take the PCP?
With both Levonelle-2 and Levonelle, you simply take one pill followed by a second exactly 12 hours later.

Will it work for me?
The emergency pills work in about 95 per cent of cases. They are less likely to work if:

you take them more than seventy-two hours after unprotected sex.

you have unprotected sex after taking them.

you forget to take the second set of pills.

you vomit within two hours of taking the tablets. If this happens, you should contact a doctor or nurse. They may give you extra pills plus something to stop you vomiting again. Or they may decide that you need to have an intrauterine device (IUD) fitted as as further emergency measure.

Does the PCP have any side effects?
With the old PCP, the most common symptom was feeling or being sick.

The new progestogen-only PCP (Levonelle-2 or Levonelle) is less likely to cause nausea although it may give women breast tenderness, headaches, dizziness and tiredness. If you are sick or have diarrhoea, you should contact your doctor or family planning clinic as you may need to take another dose.

Can I use the PCP instead of another type of contraception?
No, the PCP is designed solely for emergency use.

Are their any other ways of avoiding pregnancy in an emergency?
You should contact a doctor and discuss whether it would be better to have a contraceptive coil (IUD) inserted instead. If this is done within five days after unprotected intercourse, it is possible to stop the further development of an unwanted pregnancy.

What if the PCP does not work?
If it turns out that you are pregnant even after taking the PCP, you will have to consider whether you want to keep the baby or have an termination.

If you do decide to go ahead with the pregnancy, it should proceed normally but it is best to take expert advice in every case - especially as the foetus has of course been exposed to a high dose of hormones.

Important: Please bear in mind that if you remain pregnant despite taking a PCP, there is a slight chance that the pill has failed because the pregnancy is ectopic (in the Fallopian tube - not the womb).

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