Emergency Contraception Within 72 Hours (3 Days)
Quick Answer
This is the cutoff for levonorgestrel (58% effective). Ulipristal acetate (95% effective) is the preferred option at this point.
Important: Timing Affects Your Options
At 72 hours, your options have different effectiveness: - **Levonorgestrel (Postinor):** Only 58% effective - this is the cutoff point - **Ulipristal acetate (Mifestad):** Still 95% effective **Recommendation:** Mifestad is strongly preferred at this timing.
Why Mifestad Is Better at 72 Hours
Ulipristal acetate (Mifestad) maintains significantly higher effectiveness than levonorgestrel (Postinor) as time passes:
| Timing | Postinor | Mifestad |
|--------|----------|----------|
| 24 hours | 95% | 98% |
| 48 hours | 85% | 97% |
| 72 hours | 58% | 95% |
The difference is substantial: 95% vs 58%.
You Still Have Options
At 72 hours, you have more time than you might think:
- Mifestad works up to 120 hours (5 days) with 85% effectiveness
- If you can't access Mifestad, Postinor is still better than nothing at 58%
- A copper IUD can be inserted as emergency contraception up to 5 days after unprotected sex
What to Do Now
Here's your action plan:
Order Mifestad for delivery (preferred option)
If Mifestad isn't available, Postinor still provides 58% protection
Take the medication as soon as it arrives - don't wait
Use backup contraception until your next period
Get Mifestad delivered - still 95% effective at 72 hours.
Order Mifestad NowWhat this guide means in practice
Timing is the single biggest factor in emergency contraception effectiveness. Both available products work by delaying or preventing ovulation, which means the closer to (or after) ovulation you are, the less they can do. The hours that pass after unprotected sex matter as much as which product you take.
Within the first 24 hours, both Postinor and Mifestad are highly effective — typically 95% or higher. Between 24 and 72 hours, the picture starts to shift in favor of Mifestad, which maintains effectiveness more reliably than Postinor as the window lengthens. After 72 hours, only Mifestad remains an evidence-based option, with usefulness extending out to 120 hours.
The timing window is also the best lens for understanding why provincial delivery can change the recommendation. If your area is one to four days away by courier, ordering Mifestad gives you the buffer needed for the medication to still be within its effective range when it arrives. Ruth Health's effectiveness calculator can help estimate where you are in the window and which product is appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
72 hours is the maximum recommended window for Postinor, with only 58% effectiveness. Mifestad (95% effective) is strongly preferred at this timing.
Mifestad remains effective up to 120 hours (5 days) at approximately 85% effectiveness. It's your best option beyond 72 hours.
Yes. 58% effectiveness is better than no protection. Take what's available as soon as possible.
How Ruth Health supports this decision
Ruth Health was built around the practical realities of emergency contraception in the Philippines. That means treating timing seriously, offering discreet same-day delivery in Metro Manila, and ensuring the right product is dispatched for the patient's situation — including provincial delivery windows where Mifestad's longer effectiveness window matters.
Every order goes through a brief, evidence-based intake. When a clinician should weigh in — for example, when a patient is breastfeeding, on enzyme-inducing medications, or unsure about the time elapsed — that review happens before dispatch. Packaging is unbranded, delivery is tracked, and follow-up support is available through chat for as long as it is helpful.
When the situation has urgent components — severe pain, heavy bleeding, possible sexual assault, or signs of serious health issues — the recommendation is always to seek immediate care at a hospital or clinic, with EC support continuing alongside that care rather than replacing it.
Medical Sources
- WHO Emergency Contraception Fact Sheet
- FDA labeling for levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate
- ACOG guidance on emergency contraception
- Peer-reviewed studies where noted in Ruth content
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