What are the most common side effects of Plan B?

Sometimes, emergency contraception can change the length of your monthly menstrual cycle, making your next period come as much as a week earlier or a week later than usual. Some women also find that the hormones in the pills can cause unexpected bleeding, but this is not a common or serious side effect.

The morning after pill and bleeding. It is not unusual for the morning after pill to cause irregular bleeding. You may notice some spotting or unusual bleeding, which may persist until your next period. You don’t need to worry about the bleeding unless it becomes excessive or if it doesn’t stop.

After taking Plan B, some people expect to see spotting, thinking perhaps that the drug might affect the uterine lining and kickstart an early period. The bleeding is called a “withdrawal bleed” and is not menstruation. Rather, it’s caused by the change in hormone levels.

A common misconception is that frequent use of Plan B can affect a woman’s fertility. Simply put, there’s no reason to believe it would have any effect on fertility, unless possibly if you begin trying to become pregnant immediately after taking the pill.

You’ll know if Plan B One-Step worked when you get your next period, which should come at the expected time or within a week of that time. If your period is more than a week late, it is possible you may be pregnant. You’ve already had unprotected sex or birth control failure earlier in your menstrual cycle.

plan B® comes in a one-pill dose. If taken within 72 hours (3 days) and preferably within 12 hours after a contraceptive accident or unprotected sex, it can prevent pregnancy by doing one of three things: Temporarily stops the release of an egg from the ovary. Prevents fertilization.

Plan B works like other birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Plan B acts primarily by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation). It may prevent the union of sperm and egg (fertilization). If fertilization does occur, Plan B may prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb (implantation).

If you take it within 72 hours after you’ve had unprotected sex, levonorgestrel can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89%. If you take Plan B One-Step within 24 hours, it is about 95% effective. But you should know that Plan B One-Step is not as effective as regular contraception. That’s why it’s called Plan B.

The Plan B One-Step label says to take one white pill within 72 hours after unprotected sex. This dose contains 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel. Plan B One-Step is available for sale on stores shelves without restrictions to women and men of any age.

Effectiveness. If I drink alcohol after taking emergency contraceptive pills, will they be less effective? No, alcohol does not make emergency contraceptive pills (also called “morning after pills” or “day after pills”) any less effective at preventing pregnancy after sex.

Side effects of the morning-after pill, which typically last only a few days, might include:

Nausea or vomiting.

Dizziness.

Fatigue.

Headache.

Breast tenderness.

Bleeding between periods or heavier menstrual bleeding.

Lower abdominal pain or cramps.

That depends. Plan B One-Step and generic levonorgestrel work best if you take them within 3 days after sex, but they may work up to 5 days after sex. Ella and the IUD can work up to 5 days after sex.

EC costs anywhere from $35 to $60 at pharmacies. The generic pills (like Next Choice One Dose and Take Action ) generally cost about 10-15% less than Plan B One-Step. To read a 2013 report from the American Society for Emergency Contraception on the price of EC in the US, click here.

After you’ve taken plan B®, you should get your next period at the expected time, or a few days early or late. Note that you may experience spotting a few days after taking plan B®. While you’re waiting for your next period, abstain from having intercourse or make sure you use a contraceptive.

You’re most fertile at the time of ovulation (when an egg is released from your ovaries), which usually occurs 12 to 14 days before your next period starts. This is the time of the month when you’re most likely to get pregnant. It’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant just after your period, although it can happen.

Levonorgestrel

Uses. Levonorgestrel is used by women to prevent pregnancy after birth control failure (such as a broken condom) or unprotected sex.

Side Effects. Nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, tiredness, dizziness, changes in vaginal bleeding, breast tenderness, diarrhea, or headache may occur.

Precautions.

Interactions.

What is Plan B One-Step’s active ingredient? Each pill contains levonorgestrel, a synthetic version of the hormone progestin. Levonorgestrel has been used in birth control pills for over 35 years. Plan B One-Step contains a higher dose of levonorgestrel than that in regular birth control pills.

The Plan B package instructions state that you should take 1 white pill within 72 hours after unprotected sex and 1 more white pill 12 hours later. Each dose contains 0.75 mg of levonorgestrel. The two pills are identical; it does not matter which pill you take first.

Plan B has shown no long-term consequences or issues, and it’s safe for almost every woman to take, even if you’ve been taking another birth control pill. In the days and weeks after taking Plan B, you may experience mild to moderate side effects. However, it is only effective as an emergency contraceptive.