Take morning-after pill 5 days later

Women can now buy a morning-after pill that works for up to five days after having unprotected sex without even having to see a general practitioner.

Any woman aged 18 or more will for the first time be able to buy the powerful medication called EllaOne from certain branches of Co-operative Pharmacy in England.

But campaigners say that since it can be taken so long after conception it is an early form of abortion. There are also concerns that it will encourage unprotected sex.

EllaOne can be taken longer after sex than the conventional morning-after pill, which works for three days, and is up to twice as effective at preventing pregnancies.

First Published: Oct 19, 2012 23:58 IST