The short explanation
It depends which method. The emergency pill most widely available in India is licensed for use up to 72 hours after unprotected sex and works better the sooner it is taken. A copper IUD fitted within five days is the most effective form of emergency contraception, and it can then stay in place as ongoing contraception.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Sooner is better with any pill. Effectiveness falls across the licensed window, so the same tablet taken on the first morning is not doing the same job as one taken on the third evening.
- There is more than one kind of emergency pill, and they have different windows and different interactions — including with some regular hormonal contraceptives and with certain other medicines. This is worth a question to the pharmacist or clinician rather than an assumption.
- A copper IUD is the option most people do not know about and it has both the longest window and the highest effectiveness. It requires a clinician to fit it, which is the practical constraint.
- Emergency contraception does not end an existing pregnancy and it is not an abortion. It is also not a method to rely on regularly — it is less effective than ongoing contraception, and needing it repeatedly is a reason to talk about a method that fits you better.
- Take a pregnancy test if your period is more than a week late or is much lighter than usual.
- Emergency contraceptive pills are available over the counter in India and are also provided free at government facilities. If you were sick within a couple of hours of taking one, ask whether you need another.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This does not tell you which emergency method to use or what to take. Which one is appropriate depends on how long it has been, what contraception you are already using, your weight and your other medicines.
- This cannot tell you whether it worked. Only a pregnancy test can.
- This cannot tell you where to get one near you.
- This explanation was written by AskHer's editorial team from the guidance listed under Sources. A clinician registered in India has not signed this version off yet — that is why no clinical reviewer is named at the foot of this page, and it is why nothing here is a diagnosis.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- It has been this many hours. Which options are still open to me?
- Does anything I already take interact with this?
- Can I have a copper IUD instead, and where?
- When should I take a pregnancy test?
- What ongoing method should we talk about so this does not happen again?
- Should I be tested for infections as well?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Get help the same day
- you have had unprotected sex in the last five days and do not want to be pregnant — go to a pharmacy or a health facility today, not tomorrow
- you have severe lower abdominal pain, especially on one side, with a late period
- you have been assaulted — you need emergency contraception, infection testing and support, and a health facility can help with all three
Book an appointment soon
- your period is more than a week late after taking emergency contraception
- you have used emergency contraception more than once in recent months
- you have no ongoing method and do not want to be pregnant
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Emergency contraception NHS
- Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use World Health Organization
- Family planning and contraception methods World Health Organization
- Family Planning National Health Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off. That is what the “Editorially reviewed” badge means, and why it does not say “Clinically reviewed”. It was written and checked by AskHer’s editorial team against the sources listed above, and it is queued for a clinician who works in this area.
- Review status
- Editorially reviewed
- Last reviewed
- Last reviewed 21 August 2026
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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