Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you. Always take this medicine exactly as described in this leaflet or as your doctor or pharmacist has told you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- Ask your pharmacist if you need more information or advice.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
- What Levonelle One Step is and what it is used for
- What you need to know before you take Levonelle One Step
- How to take Levonelle One Step
- Possible side effects
- How to store Levonelle One Step
- Contents of the pack and other information
What Levonelle One Step is and what it is used for
Levonelle One Step is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your usual contraceptive method has failed. Levonelle One Step contains a synthetic hormone like substance called levonorgestrel. It prevents about 84% of expected pregnancies when you take it within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. It will not prevent a pregnancy every time and is more effective if you take it as soon as possible after unprotected sex. It is better to take it within 12 hours rather than delay until the third day. Levonelle One Step is thought to work by:- stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg;
- preventing sperm from fertilising any egg you may have already released.
What you need to know before you take Levonelle One Step
Do not use Levonelle One Step:-
- if you are allergic to levonorgestrel or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- If you are pregnant or think that you may already be pregnant. This medicine will not work if you are already pregnant. If you are already pregnant, Levonelle One Step cannot terminate pregnancy, so Levonelle One Step is not an “abortion pill”.
- your period is more than 5 days late, or you have experienced unusual bleeding when your next period is due
- you have had unprotected sex more than 72 hours ago, and since your last period.
- you have a disease of your small bowel (such as Crohn’s disease) that inhibits the absorption of the drug
- you have severe liver problems
- you have a history of ectopic pregnancy (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb)
- you have ever had a disease called salpingitis (inflammation of the Fallopian tubes).
In all women, emergency contraception should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse. There is some evidence that Levonelle One Step may be less effective with increasing body weight or body mass index (BMI), but these data were limited and inconclusive. Therefore, Levonelle One Step is still recommended for all women regardless of their weight or BMI. You are advised to speak to a healthcare professional if you are concerned about any problems related to taking emergency contraception. If you are worried about sexually transmitted diseases If you did not use a condom (or if it has been torn or slid down) during the intercourse, it might be possible that you have caught a sexually transmitted disease or the HIV virus. This medicine will not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases, only condoms can do this.
Ask your doctor, nurse, family planning clinic or pharmacist for advice if you are worried about this. Other medicines and Levonelle One Step Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. Some medicines may prevent Levonelle One Step from working effectively. If you have used any of the medicines below during the last 4 weeks, Levonelle One Step may be less suitable for you. Your doctor may prescribe another type of (non-hormonal) emergency contraceptive, i.e. a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD). If this is not an option for you or if you are unable to see your doctor promptly, you can take a double dose of Levonelle One Step:
- barbiturates and other medicines used to treat epilepsy (for example, primidone, phenytoin, and carbamazepine)
- medicines used to treat tuberculosis (for example, rifampicin, rifabutin)
- a treatment for HIV (ritonavir, efavirenz)
- a medicine used to treat fungal infections (griseofulvin)
- herbal remedies containing St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- a medicine called ciclosporin (suppresses the immune system).
Pregnancy You should not take this medicine if you are already pregnant. If you do become pregnant even after taking this medicine, it is important that you see your doctor. There is no evidence that Levonelle One Step will harm a baby that develops in your uterus/womb if you use Levonelle One Step as described. Nevertheless, your doctor may want to check that the pregnancy is not ectopic (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb). This is especially important if you develop severe abdominal pain after taking Levonelle One Step or if you have previously had an ectopic pregnancy, Fallopian tube surgery or pelvic inflammatory disease. Breast-feeding Very small amounts of the active ingredient of this medicine may appear in your breast milk. This is not thought to be harmful to the baby, but if you are worried you can take your tablet immediately after a breast-feeding and avoid nursing at least 8 hours following tablet taking. In this way you are taking your tablet well before the next feed and reducing the amount of active ingredient your baby may take in with the breast milk. Fertility Levonelle One Step increases the possibility of menstruation disturbances which can sometimes lead to earlier or later ovulation date.
These changes can result in modified fertility date, however there are no fertility data in the long term. Driving and using machines Your Levonelle One Step tablet is unlikely to affect your ability to drive a car or use machines. However, if you feel tired or dizzy do not drive or operate machinery. Levonelle One Step tablet contains lactose In case of milk sugar (lactose) intolerance it should be considered that each Levonelle One Step tablet also contains 142.5 mg lactose monohydrate. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
How to take Levonelle One Step
Always use this medicine exactly as described in the leaflet or as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Use in children and adolescents Levonelle One Step is not indicated for use before the first menstrual bleeding (menarche). Levonelle One Step can be taken at any time in your menstrual cycle assuming you are not already pregnant or think you may be pregnant. Do not chew but swallow the tablet whole with water.- If you are using one of the medicines that may prevent Levonelle One Step from working properly (see section above “Other medicines and Levonelle One Step”) or if you have used
- If you are already using a regular method of contraception such as the contraceptive pill, you can continue to take this at your regular times.
After you have taken Levonelle One Step, you are advised to make an appointment to see your doctor about three weeks later, to make sure that Levonelle One Step has worked. If your period is more than 5 days late or is unusually light or unusually heavy, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you do become pregnant even after taking this medicine, it is important that you see your doctor.
Your doctor can also tell you about longer-term methods of contraception which are more effective in preventing you from getting pregnant. If you continue to use regular hormonal contraception such as the contraceptive pill and you do not have a bleed in your pill-free period, see your doctor to make sure you are not pregnant. Your next period after you took Levonelle One Step After the use of Levonelle One Step, your period is usually normal and will start at the usual day; however sometimes, this will be a few days later or earlier. If your period starts more than 5 days later than expected, an ‘abnormal’ bleeding occurs at that time or if you think that you might be pregnant, you should check whether you are pregnant by a pregnancy test.
If you take more Levonelle One Step than you should Although there have been no reports of serious harmful effects from taking too many tablets at once, you may feel sick, actually be sick (vomit), or have vaginal bleeding. You should ask your pharmacist, doctor, practice nurse or family planning clinic for advice, especially if you have been sick, as the tablet may not have worked properly. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):- Feeling sick (nausea)
- You might have some irregular bleeding until your next period
- You might have lower abdominal pain
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Being sick (vomiting). If you are sick, read the section ‘What to do if you are sick (vomit) ’.
- Your period might be different. Most women will have a normal period at the expected time, but some may have their period later or earlier than normal. You might also have some irregular bleeding or spotting until your next period. If your period is more than 5 days late or is unusually light or unusually heavy, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
- You might have tender breasts, diarrhoea, feel dizzy after taking this medicine.
- Abdominal pain, rash, urticaria, pruritus, swelling of the face, pelvic pain, painful period.