New emergency hormonal contraceptive effective for up to five days after sex

Ulipristal (ellaOne), an emergency hormonal contraceptive that maintains its efficacy when taken up to five days after unprotected sexual intercourse, is now available on prescription in the UK. Ulipristal is the first in a new class of drugs called synthetic selective progesterone receptor modulators. It acts by high affinity binding to the progesterone receptor and is thought to inhibit or delay ovulation. Alterations to the endometrium may also contribute to ulipristal’s efficacy. PJ Online