A major study is under way into the effect of obesity on emergency contraceptives, it has been announced.
The study has been ordered by the European Medicines Agency following concerns raised by authorities in Sweden.
It has been launched amid concerns that women who are overweight may not be able to use emergency contraceptives successfully.
One drug manufacturer has already stated its contraceptive will not work for women with a weight greater than 80kg – or 12.5 stone.
The agency says only one product containing the hormone levonorgestrel contains this warning.
A spokesman said: "The European Medicines Agency will evaluate the impact of new data suggesting that a high bodyweight could impair the effectiveness of emergency contraceptives.
"It will assess whether any changes should be made to the product information for all emergency contraceptive medicines containing levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate."
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