Emergency contraception is often know to young people as the "morning after pill".  This is a very misleading term as it suggests that you can only get emergency contraception the morning after unprotected sexual intercourse; or the morning after an accident such as a split condom.

The true fact is that emergency contraception is available up to three days or 72 hours after an accident or unprotected sexual intercourse.

Emergency contraception can be obtained from:

• G.P.s (doctors)
• Family planning clinics
• Young people's sexual health services 
• Pharmacies.

Emergency contraception is free except from pharmacies (chemists) where there is a charge. Note: you have to be over 16 years old to get emergency contraception from a pharmacy but it is available to young people under 16 from doctors and clinics.