Ezinelle
The morning after pill service is unavailable over the Bank Holiday weekend (from 24th to 27th May). It will be available again from 4pm Monday 27th May.
If you have recently had unprotected sex and need an emergency contraceptive fast, then you may consider ordering Ezinelle.
Ezinelle is 97-99% effective and can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. Ezinelle is an affordable alternative to other emergency contraception and can be requested online at your convenience without having to fill out paper forms or place an order in person.
Order from a fast and reliable online doctor service like Superdrug Online Doctor. Follow the link below to begin your online consultation and choose Ezinelle as your preferred medication.
To place an order, fill in a brief questionnaire. One of our doctors will review your order and prescribe a suitable treatment.
| Ezinelle – One Course | £13.49 |
Price includes standard delivery or click and collect.
In a hurry? Choose Click and Collect and pick up your order after just 3 hours from a Superdrug Pharmacy.
Ezinelle is an effective form of emergency contraception (also known as a ‘morning after pill’). The chance of not getting pregnant after taking Ezinelle is improved by how quickly you take it after having unprotected sex.
Ezinelle works by:
- Preventing ovulation (the egg from being released into the womb).
- Preventing sperm from fertilising an egg that has already been released.
Ezinelle is not indicated for use before your first period.
Not every woman who has unprotected sex is at risk of getting pregnant as people often do not know the risk of pregnancy at the time they have unprotected sex. Ezinelle will prevent around 84% of expected pregnancies within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
There are other forms of emergency contraception with similar, but slightly higher success rates. According to the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health (FSRH) EllaOne and the copper IUD (intrauterine device) are more effective in preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. Out of these two, the copper IUD is the most effective.
| Price | OTC availability | Free availability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezinelle | £13.49* | Limited**
|
Limited**
|
*This price is the cheapest available, taken from the Superdrug Online Doctor Service.
**According to NHS Choices, free or OTC morning after pills can be obtained in person from certain surgeries, clinics, or pharmacies.
Ezinelle does not require a prescription but it is always best to consult a doctor before using emergency contraception if you can. Superdrug Online Doctor provides fast, easy access to a doctor consultation service for your morning after pill.
Order Ezinelle online through the Superdrug Online Doctor service and you won’t have to fill out any paper forms in person. Simply complete a short online consultation process to place your request for Ezinelle.
Request you medication through Superdrug Online Doctor and receive your pill by post the next day or collect it the same day at your nearest Superdrug store. If you choose to order online then there is no need to wait until you are able to place your order in person. All orders placed before 4pm will be processed the same day.
|
|
Ezinelle | Levonelle | Levonorgestrel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Generic medication
|
Branded medication
|
Hormone name
|
| Active ingredient | Levonorgestrel (1500mg) | Levonorgestrel (1500mg) | Levonorgestrel (1500mg) |
| Chance of not getting pregnant when used | 97-99% | 97-99% | 97-99% |
| Price | From £13.50* | From £27.00* | n/a |
*Cheapest price available, taken from Superdrug Online Doctor service.
Levonelle (sometimes know as Levonelle One-Step or Levonelle 1500) is the branded version of Ezinelle. Levonelle used to be the only medical form of the hormone, levonorgestrel, available in the UK. This meant the manufacturer of Levonelle was the only one legally allowed to produce the medication. As a result they were allowed to set the price. You might have heard of the brand ‘Plan B’ which is the American branded form of Levonorgestrel.
On 13th May 2015, the new levonorgestrel medication Ezinelle was granted ‘marketing authorisation’ (meaning it was legally allowed to be sold by other manufacturers than the one that owns Levonelle). Unlike the branded medication Levonelle, Ezinelle is unbranded (or generic) medication and so the price is competitive between multiple manufacturers.
Ezinelle is safe for you as long as you consult a healthcare professional and they approve it for you before you take it. You can do this by visiting a GP surgery, sexual health clinic, or pharmacy, or by using online doctor services like Superdrug Online Doctor.
Ezinelle can cause a number of side effects in some people, these include:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people), eg:
- Feeling sick (nausea).
- Lower abdominal pain.
- Tiredness (fatigue).
- Headache.
- Irregular bleeding until your next period.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people), eg:
- Being sick (vomiting).
- Your period might be different.
- Experiencing the following after taking this medication:
- Tender breasts.
- Diarrhoea.
- Feeling dizzy (remember not to attempt driving if you experience dizziness).
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people):
- Abdominal pain.
- Rash.
- Hives (urticaria).
- Itching (pruritus).
- Swelling of the face (facial oedema).
- Pain in the hips (pelvic pain).
- Period pain.
Ezinelle is not suitable for everyone, which is why it’s important to check with a healthcare professional first. Ezinelle should not be taken by anyone who:
- Is under 16, without medical supervision.
- Is allergic to levonorgestrel or any other ingredients in Ezinelle.
- Is already pregnant or suspects they may be pregnant.
- Has:
- Disease of the small intestine (eg, Crohn’s).
- Severe liver problems.
- A history of ectopic pregnancy (where the baby grows somewhere other than the womb).
- A history of salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes).
- A BMI (body mass index) over 26.
- Is taking any of the following medication:
- Barbiturates or other epilepsy medications.
- Medicines for treating tuberculosis.
- Medicines used to treat HIV.
- Griseofulvin – an antifungal medication.
- Any herbal medicine containing St John’s wort.
- Ciclosporin – an immunosuppressant.
Take Ezinelle as soon as you can. It should be swallowed whole with water if needed.
Ezinelle can be taken at any time during your menstrual cycle so long as you are not pregnant. It is important to check that your Ezinelle will not be affected by your other medications. If this is the case for you then discuss you emergency contraception with a doctor and they can prescribe you an alternate treatment method.
You should try to limit your use of Ezinelle to emergencies. Using Ezinelle more than once within the same 28-day period cycle can interrupt the cycle. If you find you are regularly needing Ezinelle then you should consider a longer term form of contraception.
If you take too many Ezinelle tablets at once you should not be at risk of serious harm, but you may experience sickness or some vaginal bleeding. If you are sick after taking Ezinelle then you should get some advice from a pharmacist or doctor as you might not be protected from getting pregnant.
Ezinelle can sometimes have an effect on a number of different aspects of your period.
Your period may become:
- Earlier.
- Later.
- Irregular – including some spotting.
- Lighter or heavier – if this is an unusually strong change then please contact a doctor as soon as you can.
You should not be taking Ezinelle if you are pregnant, but if you do it should not harm the baby.
If you are breastfeeding and you take Ezinelle then the medicine might appear in the breastmilk you are feeding your child. This might not harm the baby but you can always wait until after breastfeeding if you have any concerns. After taking Ezinelle, try and avoid any more breastfeeding for the next 8 hours.
You should talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using Ezinelle if you are:
- Are pregnant.
- Are breastfeeding.
- Think you might be pregnant.
- Are planning to have a child.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cheaper generic medication
|
Has to be taken faster than other forms of emergency contraception
|
| 97-99% effective | Some other emergency contraceptives are more effective |
| Easy to obtain | Not suitable for everyone |
| Simple oral pill | Some side effects can occur |
| Mimics natural processes in the body | May upset your normal period cycle |
Accord Healthcare Limited (2016). Ezinelle 1.5 mg Tablet. [online] MHRA. Available from: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/spcpil/documents/spcpil/con1492753566084.pdf [Accessed 6th June 2017].
FSRH (2017). CEU clinical guidance: emergency contraception - march 2017. [online] FSRH. Available from: http://www.fsrh.org/standards-and-guidance/documents/ceu-clinical-guidance-emergency-contraception-march-2017/ [Accessed 6th June 2017].
Generics (UK) Ltd t/a Mylan. Public Assessment Report. [online] MHRA. Available from: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/par/documents/websiteresources/con562613.pdf [Accessed 06 June 2017].