Medication Information Leaflet
There are 2 types of emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy; the pill method and the insertion of a device called the copper intrauterine device (IUD). A copper IUD can prevent pregnancy because its presence is toxic to sperms. A woman might use emergency contraception if she forgot to take her birth control pills, if the condom broke or slipped off during sexual intercourse, or if no birth control methods were used.
Ella® (ulipristal acetate), also known as “Morning-After Pill”, is one of the pill methods. It is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse.
You may still get pregnant if there is sexual intercourse after taking the pill. Use a condom or any other type of birth control method if you have sexual intercourse after taking the emergency contraceptive pill.
The tablet works best the sooner you take it after having unprotected sex. It can only prevent you from becoming pregnant, if you take it within 5 days of unprotected sex. Please contact your healthcare professional if it is more than 5 days of unprotected sex.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately
Some medications may prevent this medication from working effectively. Inform your healthcare professional if you have taken any medication during the last 4 weeks to ensure the correct type of emergency contraceptive has been prescribed for you.
You can start/restart hormonal contraception e.g. birth control pills 5 days after taking Ella®. You must also use a barrier method (for example: condoms, diaphragm, and spermicides) until your next menstrual period, or not have sexual intercourse.
Using a hormonal birth control method and taking Ella® at the same time can reduce the effectiveness of both medications.
Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.
Disclaimers
Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
Last updated on Oct 2022
This article was last reviewed on Thursday, June 22, 2023