Morning-After Pill in Hurghada: Contraplan vs Plan B — Same Molecule, Fair Price

Published by TourCare Apteka · Dr. Magdy Farouk Pharmacy · Hurghada, Egypt

Bottom line:Contraplan (levonorgestrel 0.75 mg) is the Egyptian equivalent of Plan B One-Step, Norlevo, Postinor-2, and Levonelle. Two tablets — taken 12 hours apart — deliver the same 1.5 mg total levonorgestrel dose as a single Plan B tablet. Same molecule, same protection, same 72-hour window. At TourCare Apteka you pay a fair local price with no tourist markup and free hotel delivery across Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay, and El Gouna.

Contraplan vs Plan B One-Step: What Is Actually Different?

Contraplan is the classic two-tablet levonorgestrel regimen — the formulation that was the global standard before single-tablet products appeared. The active ingredient, mechanism, and total dose are identical to Plan B One-Step. The only practical difference is how you take it: Product Active ingredient Total dose How to take Plan B One-Step (USA)
Norlevo / PiDaNa (EU)
Levonelle One Step (UK) Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg 1 tablet, single dose Contraplan (Egypt)
Postinor-2 (Russia/CIS)
NorLevo 2-tab (some EU markets) Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg total
(2 × 0.75 mg) 1st tablet ASAP within 72 h,
2nd tablet 12 hours later

Both regimens deliver 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel to your body. Clinical evidence published via PubMed confirms that the split-dose 2 × 0.75 mg regimen and the single 1.5 mg dose are therapeutically equivalent in preventing ovulation and reducing pregnancy risk.

💡 The 12-hour rule matters. With Contraplan, the timing of the second tablet is important. Set an alarm on your phone the moment you take the first one. If you vomit within 2 hours of either tablet, contact our pharmacists — you may need to repeat that dose.

How Levonorgestrel Works

Levonorgestrel is a synthetic progestogen with more than 40 years of clinical use. As an emergency contraceptive it works primarily by delaying or inhibiting ovulation — preventing the release of an egg so that fertilisation cannot occur. According to the US NIH DailyMed official drug label for Plan B One-Step, levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive:

Is most effective when taken as soon as possible within 72 hours of unprotected sex
Does not interrupt an established pregnancy
Does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections
Should not be used as regular ongoing birth control

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists levonorgestrel as an essential medicine and recommends it as a first-line emergency contraceptive option globally, in both the single-dose and two-dose formulations.

Price Comparison: What You Would Pay at Home

Emergency contraception carries a heavy price premium in Western markets. The molecule itself is long off-patent — the cost difference between countries reflects brand marketing, pharmacy chain markups, and market regulation, not pharmaceutical quality. Country / Brand Product Total levonorgestrel Typical retail price 🇺🇸 USA — Walgreens / Rite-Aid Plan B One-Step 1.5 mg ~$45–$50 🇬🇧 UK — Boots / LloydsPharmacy Levonelle One Step 1.5 mg ~£25–£35 🇩🇪 Germany — Apotheke PiDaNa / Norlevo 1.5 mg ~€15–€20 🇷🇺 Russia / CIS Postinor-2 (2 × 0.75 mg) 1.5 mg total ~₽500–₽900 🇪🇬 Hurghada — TourCare Apteka Contraplan (2 × 0.75 mg) 1.5 mg total Ask us — fair local price, no tourist markup

To put the US figure in context: Plan B One-Step retails at $49.49 at Rite-Aid and $49.99 at Walgreens. Generic levonorgestrel products in the US can cost as little as $11 — proof that the brand premium has nothing to do with the medicine itself. In Hurghada you pay for the drug, not the marketing.

🌍 Travelling from Germany or Austria? You may know this product as Postinor-2, NorLevo, or the two-tablet Norlevo pack. Contraplan is the same regimen under an Egyptian brand name. Order it here and we deliver to your hotel.

Step-by-Step: How to Take Contraplan

Take the first tablet as soon as possible — within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex. The sooner you act, the higher the effectiveness. Within 24 hours is ideal.
Set an alarm for 12 hours later and take the second tablet at that time. Do not skip or delay the second dose.
You can take the tablets with or without food. If nausea is a concern, taking them after a light snack helps.
If you vomit within 2 hours of either tablet, contact a pharmacist immediately — you may need to repeat that dose.
Expect your next period to arrive roughly on time, or up to 5–7 days earlier or later than usual. This is normal.
If your period is more than 7 days late after taking Contraplan, take a pregnancy test.

⚠️ Do not use Contraplan if: You are already pregnant (it will not work), or you have ever had an allergic reaction to levonorgestrel. If you are currently taking rifampicin (for tuberculosis), efavirenz (HIV treatment), or anti-epileptic drugs, speak to our pharmacist — these medicines may reduce levonorgestrel’s effectiveness and an alternative contraceptive method may be needed. See the full FDA drug interaction information here.

No Prescription Needed — Available Over the Counter

Levonorgestrel emergency contraception is an over-the-counter medicine in Egypt — no doctor’s prescription required and no questions asked. Walk into our pharmacy on the Hurghada corniche, or order online via our product page for fast hotel delivery.

TourCare Apteka (Dr. Magdy Farouk Pharmacy) is a fully licensed Egyptian pharmacy. All products are sourced through authorised Egyptian pharmaceutical distribution channels — the same supply chain used by hospitals and clinics across Egypt. For further context on levonorgestrel safety and clinical data, you can review the NIH/NLM levonorgestrel reference and WHO Emergency Contraception fact sheet.

Hotel Delivery Across the Red Sea Resorts

We know that when you need emergency contraception, speed and discretion both matter. TourCare Apteka offers same-day delivery to hotels and resorts across:

Sahl Hasheesh
Makadi Bay
El Gouna
Hurghada city centre and marina hotels
Other Red Sea resort areas — message us to confirm coverage

Packaging is plain and discreet. Our team speaks English, German, Russian, and Arabic.

Order Contraplan with Hotel Delivery in Hurghada

Levonorgestrel 0.75 mg × 2 tablets — same total dose as Plan B One-Step.

No prescription · Discreet packaging · Fast delivery to your resortOrder Contraplan Now →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Contraplan the same as Plan B One-Step? Both products contain levonorgestrel as the sole active ingredient and deliver a total dose of 1.5 mg. Plan B One-Step delivers it as one 1.5 mg tablet in a single dose. Contraplan delivers it as two 0.75 mg tablets taken 12 hours apart. The total dose reaching your body is identical, and clinical evidence confirms equivalent effectiveness. Why are there two tablets instead of one? The two-tablet split-dose regimen is the original levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive protocol — used worldwide for decades under brand names like Postinor-2 (Russia/CIS), NorLevo 2-tab (France), and Plan B original (USA before One-Step). Both regimens are approved and recommended by the WHO. The one-tablet convenience format came later. Do I need a prescription to buy it in Hurghada? No. Levonorgestrel emergency contraception is over-the-counter in Egypt. Order online or visit us in person — no prescription, no ID required. How quickly can you deliver to my hotel? Typically within a few hours for resorts in Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay, and El Gouna. Contact us via WhatsApp for an exact estimate based on your location. I know this medicine as Postinor-2 / Escapelle — is it the same? Yes. Postinor-2 is the Russian/CIS brand for the same 2 × 0.75 mg levonorgestrel regimen. Escapelle is a 1.5 mg single-tablet version. Contraplan is the Egyptian equivalent of Postinor-2. Can I pay in euros or dollars? Yes. We accept Egyptian pounds (EGP), euros (EUR), US dollars (USD), and major credit/debit cards. Does Contraplan protect against STIs? No — like all oral emergency contraceptives, Contraplan prevents pregnancy only. It provides no protection against HIV/AIDS or any other sexually transmitted infection. See the WHO guidance on emergency contraception for full details.

This article is for general information only. For personal medical advice, consult a qualified healthcare professional. If you experience severe abdominal pain after taking emergency contraception, seek medical attention promptly as this may indicate an ectopic pregnancy risk.

Sources: US NIH DailyMed — Plan B One-Step official label (NDA021998, updated January 2023); PubMed — Levonorgestrel-only dosing strategies for emergency contraception; WHO Emergency Contraception fact sheet; US retail price data from ClearHealthCosts and BuzzRx (2024–2025).