Emergency contraception — timely options ⚠️ 🩺
🧠 Clinical mechanism: Post-coital options reduce pregnancy risk after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure; effectiveness depends on elapsed time and method.
🔎 Recognise
- Unprotected intercourse, missed contraception or condom failure; assess timing, menstrual history, pregnancy risk, STI risk and safeguarding.
🛟 First assessment and action
- Offer prompt sexual health or pharmacy assessment, shared decision-making and pregnancy/STI follow-up advice.
🧪 Investigations and reassessment
- Check pregnancy possibility and drug interactions/contraceptive history; copper IUD is most effective and specialist fitting is needed.
⚠️ Pitfall / escalation
- NHS guidance describes copper IUD within 5 days and oral levonorgestrel/ulipristal windows of 3/5 days respectively; individual suitability and later contraception require current FSRH/local advice.
UK reference: Primary NHS/NICE/RCOG/GMC source.
Editorial draft, 7 November 2026: targeted source-supported educational summary, NOT independent consultant/pharmacist verification or a treatment protocol. Follow up-to-date BNF, NICE and local NHS pathways.
Related: Contraception request/advice · Combined Oral contraceptive pill (COCP) 💊 · Unwanted pregnancy and termination