Ella Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Ella Tablet (ulipristal acetate) is a prescription emergency contraceptive pill belonging to the progestin drug class. It is taken as a single 30 mg tablet to help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or a birth control failure. Ella works mainly by delaying or preventing ovulation and is effective when taken within 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. It is not intended for use as a regular, ongoing method of birth control.

What is Ella Tablet

Ella is a prescription emergency contraceptive pill, given as a single 30 mg tablet. It is used to help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or a birth control failure. It is not meant to be used as a regular, ongoing method of birth control.

Ella Tablet uses

• Prevent pregnancy when taken within 5 days (120 hours) of unprotected sex
• Prevent pregnancy after a known or suspected birth control failure (such as a condom breaking or missing a birth control pill)

Benefits of Ella Tablet

• Emergency Pregnancy Prevention: Helps reduce the chance of pregnancy after contraceptive failure.
• Ovulation Delay: Primarily works by delaying or preventing ovulation.
• Extended Time Window: Can be used up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex.
• Single-Dose Treatment: One 30 mg tablet is used for emergency contraception.
• Future Fertility: Does not permanently affect fertility.

How Ella Tablet works

Ella contains ulipristal acetate, which acts on progesterone receptors in the body. Progesterone is needed for an egg to be released during the monthly cycle (ovulation). By affecting how progesterone works, ella delays or stops ovulation, so there is no egg available to be fertilized.

Ella Tablet dosage

Take the tablet by mouth as soon as possible after unprotected sex or birth control failure, and no later than 5 days (120 hours) afterward. It can be taken with or without food, and at any time during the menstrual cycle. If vomiting occurs within 3 hours of taking the tablet, contact your healthcare professional right away because another tablet may be needed. Do not use ella more than once in the same menstrual cycle.

After taking ella, use a reliable barrier method such as condoms every time you have sex until your next period starts. If you want to start or restart a hormonal birth control method (like the pill, patch, or ring) after taking ella, wait 5 days before doing so, and use condoms until your next period. Breastfeeding is not recommended for one week after taking ella; during this time you should express and discard your breast milk to keep up your milk supply.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet, 30 mg

Side effects of Ella Tablet

Common

• Headache
• Nausea
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Abdominal (stomach) discomfort
• Menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea)
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Back pain
• Muscle pain
• Breast tenderness
• Pelvic pain
• Mood disorders
• Acne
• Vomiting

Serious

• Hypersensitivity reactions: difficulty swallowing or breathing, wheezing, drop in blood pressure, feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up, hives or rash, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take ella if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Ella does not end an existing pregnancy and will not work if you are already pregnant.
• Ulipristal acetate passes into breast milk, and its effect on infants has not been studied. Do not breastfeed for one week after taking ella; during this time, express and discard your breast milk to keep up your milk supply.
• No studies have looked at how kidney problems affect this medicine, but no dose change is thought to be needed.
• Ella is not recommended for women with severe liver disease, since there isn't enough information on how it affects them.
• Ella can cause dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, or trouble concentrating. Do not drive or use machines if you have these symptoms.
• Ella does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, so only condoms can protect you from these infections.
• Ella is not always effective. If your period is more than 7 days late, is unusually light or heavy, or you have stomach pain, breast tenderness, vomiting, or nausea, you may be pregnant and should take a pregnancy test right away.
• If you become pregnant after taking ella, there is a chance the pregnancy could be outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy), which can be serious.
• Ella should not be used more than once in the same menstrual cycle, since using it again in the same cycle has not been studied for safety or effectiveness.
• Certain medicines and herbal products, such as some epilepsy medicines, rifampin, and St. John's wort, can make ella less effective.
• Do not take ella together with another emergency contraceptive pill that contains levonorgestrel, as this may make ella less effective.
• After taking ella, wait 5 days before starting or restarting hormonal birth control (like the pill, patch, or ring), and use condoms until your next period, because taking them together can reduce how well they work.

Storage

• Store at 15-25°C.
• Store in the original packaging to protect from moisture.
• Keep the blister in the outer carton to protect from light.
• Keep out of reach and sight of children.
• This package is sealed for your protection. Do not use if torn or broken.

When to see a doctor

• Get immediate medical help if you have signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble swallowing or breathing, wheezing, a sudden drop in blood pressure, feeling very sick or throwing up, hives or rash, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• If you think you or someone you are caring for has taken too much ella, contact a healthcare professional, a hospital emergency department, or your local poison control center right away, even if there are no symptoms.
• See your healthcare professional right away if you become pregnant after taking ella.

Alternatives

• Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg emergency contraceptive
• Copper IUD