> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hi-doctor.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Emergency contraception — options and timing

> What determines the right emergency contraception option after unprotected sex, and how the online consultation reviews your case.

Emergency contraception covers the time-sensitive options available after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. What is most suitable depends on how much time has passed, where you are in your cycle, your usual contraception and any other medicines you take.

## What decides the outcome

Time since sex, cycle timing, usual contraception and other medicines determine the most suitable option for you. A licensed doctor reviews these factors case by case.

<Warning>
  Emergency pills **do not protect against STIs**, and the **copper IUD remains the most effective emergency option**.
</Warning>

## Your path to treatment

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start your online visit">
    Answer a 4-minute questionnaire about your health and situation. No in-person appointment, no travel. You'll know within 24 hours if you're a candidate.
  </Step>

  <Step title="A doctor reviews your case">
    A licensed doctor reviews your answers personally. If they need clarifications, they message you in the private chat on your account. If treatment is appropriate, they sign an electronic prescription.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and payment">
    If the doctor does not approve treatment, the one-off consultation fee is refunded in full within 48 hours.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ongoing support">
    Private chat with your doctor for questions, and renewal support before any prescription expires.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Who it is not suitable for

Because this is time-sensitive, the doctor's assessment of timing, cycle stage and current contraception is what determines whether emergency contraception — and which option — is appropriate for you. Emergency pills do not protect against sexually transmitted infections, so this consultation does not replace STI testing or ongoing contraception planning.

## How Hi-Doctor handles it

An EU-licensed doctor reviews your questionnaire and, if appropriate, issues an electronic prescription valid across the EU. The medication, if the doctor prescribes it, is paid separately at the pharmacy at the price it sets — see [pricing](/essentials/pricing) for the consultation fee. Hi-Doctor does not sell medications.

## Related reading

* [Levonorgestrel](/library/medicines/levonorgestrel) — the emergency contraceptive pill and why timing matters
* [Ulipristal acetate](/library/medicines/ulipristal) — the other emergency contraceptive option, with a longer window
* [How a consultation works](/essentials/how-it-works)
* [Safety and eligibility](/essentials/safety)

## Start a consultation

<Card title="Sexual health consultation" icon="stethoscope" href="https://hi-doctor.ai/consultation/sexual-health/1">
  Answer the sexual health questionnaire and a registered doctor reviews it.
  They decide whether treatment is appropriate, which one, and at what dose —
  and declining is a normal outcome. See [what it costs](/essentials/pricing)
  and [how the review works](/essentials/how-it-works).
</Card>

<Warning>
  This page is reference information, not medical advice and not a prescription.
  Whether a medicine is appropriate for you is decided by a registered doctor
  after reviewing your consultation.
</Warning>