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EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

Emergency contraception advice, when time matters

Calm, judgment-free guidance after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, including which oral option fits your situation and when an IUD may be preferable.

€35one-off consultation
  • Written consultation, no video call
  • Reviewed for safety and interactions
  • Full refund if not approved
Private consultationNo video call, no waiting room
Reply in under 2 hoursOn average, from an EU-licensed doctor
€35 one-offNo subscription
Understanding the condition

What it is

Emergency contraception can help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or when your usual contraception has failed.

It works best the sooner it is taken. A doctor reviews your answers and, if suitable, issues a prescription you can collect at a pharmacy.

STEP BY STEP

How it works

01

Answer online

A short questionnaire about your symptoms.

02

Doctor review

A licensed EU doctor reads your answers and replies in under 2 hours on average.

03

E-prescription

If treatment is suitable, your prescription is issued electronically and dispensed at any EU pharmacy.

What the doctor may consider

Treatment options

The doctor chooses based on your answers and health. Some options are practical advice, some are prescription medicines.

Emergency contraceptive pill

A single tablet taken as soon as possible, if suitable for you.

Timing advice

Which option fits the time since unprotected sex.

Follow-up guidance

What to expect afterwards and when to take a pregnancy test.

Pricing

One consultation, one clear price

You pay for the doctor's consultation. If a prescription is issued, the medicine is paid at your own pharmacy.

  • Consultation reviewed by an EU-licensed doctor
  • Private follow-up in the in-app chat
  • Full refund if the doctor does not approve
One-off

Sexual health

  • Consultation reviewed by an EU-licensed doctor
  • Electronic prescription if approved
  • Private follow-up chat
Start consultation

Full refund if a review is not approved

Clinical guide

What to know before your consultation

Emergency contraception options

Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or when your usual method has failed, such as a missed pill or a split condom. It works best the sooner it is taken. The doctor may consider levonorgestrel, taken within three days, or ulipristal acetate, taken within five days. A copper IUD fitted by a clinic within five days is the most effective option, and the doctor tells you when it may be the better choice.

Who the online pathway suits

The online pathway is for anyone who has had unprotected sex or a contraceptive failure within the last five days and is not already pregnant. It may not be suitable if you take medicines that reduce the effect of the pills, such as some epilepsy medicines, rifampicin or St John's Wort, or if you have severe liver disease. If more than five days have passed, or neither pill suits you, you are directed to a clinic for a copper IUD. Sexual assault or a possible HIV exposure needs same-day in-person care.

Side effects and warning signs

Common side effects include headache, nausea, tummy pain, breast tenderness and a period that comes earlier or later than expected. If you vomit within three hours of taking the pill, you need another dose, so contact your doctor. Ulipristal and hormonal contraception can make each other less effective, so you usually wait five days before restarting your method and use condoms meanwhile. Seek urgent care for severe one-sided abdominal pain, shoulder pain, heavy bleeding or fainting, which can signal an ectopic pregnancy.

Other emergency options

A copper IUD can be fitted by a sexual-health or family-planning clinic within five days of unprotected sex, and it then works as ongoing contraception. In many EU countries, pharmacists can also provide emergency contraception without a prescription. Emergency contraception is not a regular method, so the doctor can point you to reliable ongoing options. If the doctor decides the pills are not appropriate for you, they explain why, tell you where to go urgently, and your consultation fee is refunded.

What the evidence shows

The European Medicines Agency has authorised ulipristal acetate for emergency contraception within 120 hours of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. The World Health Organization reports that a copper IUD fitted within five days is more than 99 per cent effective, making it the most effective emergency method. WHO and UK Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare guidance both describe ulipristal as more effective than levonorgestrel, especially later in the window. Neither pill ends a pregnancy that has already started.

Your emergency consultation

Because timing matters, the questionnaire asks when you had sex, about your cycle, the method that failed, your weight, medicines, breastfeeding and any warning signs. An EU-licensed doctor reviews your answers in the private chat and, if appropriate, prescribes the pill that suits your timing and health. You collect and pay for it at a pharmacy of your choice in the EU and take it as soon as possible. If a pill is not suitable, the doctor directs you to a clinic urgently.

What happens afterwards

Your next period may come earlier or later than usual. Take a pregnancy test at least three weeks after the unprotected sex, or sooner if your period is more than seven days late or unusually light. Use condoms until your regular contraception is working again, and consider an STI test after unprotected sex. Message your doctor in the chat if you vomit soon after the dose, have unusual pain or bleeding, or want advice on ongoing contraception.

FAQs

Your questions answered

Emergency contraception9 questions
How quickly should I take it?
As soon as possible. Emergency contraception works best the sooner it is taken after unprotected sex.
No. The doctor reviews your written answers and follows up in the private in-app chat if needed.
Emergency pills can be used up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex, but not every type works that long, so the doctor chooses the one that fits your timing. After 5 days, an emergency pill is no longer suitable. Contact a sexual-health or contraception clinic urgently: a copper IUD may still be an option.
Yes. It is the most effective emergency contraception and the only one that still works after ovulation. It is fitted at a health centre or clinic, ideally within 5 days, and can then stay in as your regular contraception. The questionnaire asks whether you could get one quickly, and the doctor can tell you where to go.
Yes. Higher body weight can make emergency pills work less well, and some medicines, such as certain epilepsy, tuberculosis or HIV treatments and St John's wort, can reduce their effect. That is why the questionnaire asks about both. The doctor may then choose a different pill, adjust the dose or recommend a copper IUD.
Nausea, headache, tummy pain, breast tenderness and a change in your next period are common and usually pass within a few days. If you vomit within 3 hours of taking it, tell the doctor, because another dose is needed. Severe or one-sided lower tummy pain, heavy bleeding or fainting need urgent in-person care.
Use condoms until your regular contraception is working again; the doctor tells you when to restart it, as this depends on the pill. Take a pregnancy test if your next period is more than 7 days late or unusually light, or 3 weeks after the unprotected sex. Emergency pills do not protect against infections, so consider an STI test too.
The consultation is €35, one-off, with no subscription. If a prescription is issued, the medicine is paid at your pharmacy.
You receive a full refund, and the doctor explains why in your account.
Sexual health7 questions
We offer six focused consultation pathways. Choose the one that best matches your symptoms or situation:
Every sexual-health pathway is a €35 one-off consultation. Sexual health is not included in a subscription. A doctor's review arrives in less than 2 hours on average; this is an average, not a guaranteed response time. Medication is paid for separately at the pharmacy if prescribed.
The most common are PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, avanafil). In specific cases topical alprostadil is used. The doctor selects the most suitable option based on your history, current medication, and lifestyle.
These are medications with decades of clinical use and generally well tolerated. But they are contraindicated if you take nitrates or have severe cardiovascular disease. That's why the questionnaire explicitly asks about cardiac medication. It's not a formality.
Yes. Topical alprostadil is a second-line option. In resistant cases, the doctor may recommend an in-person urology referral to evaluate other causes (hormonal, vascular, psychological).
Fully. All communication happens through the private chat on your account. We send nothing by postal mail with the Hi-Doctor name visible; the prescription is digital.
Yes, it's one of the reasons we ask for a detailed cardiovascular history. Erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of cardiovascular disease, and sometimes an in-person check-up is advisable before treating it only pharmacologically.

Saying it is the first step

Answer the questionnaire and a licensed doctor reads it. You pay only if treatment is approved.

Start emergency consultationNo charge unless a doctor approves your treatment.
All content on this page has been medically reviewed by: Dr. Alejandro Infante, General medicine, on 27 July 2026. Registration: 080869277 View profile

Pay nothing if a doctor doesn't approve your treatment. Every consultation is fully refundable. How refunds work