What Is the Plan B Pill?
Also known as the Morning After Pill, it’s one of the most common forms of emergency contraception. This means that it’s designed to be used after unprotected sex to reduce the risk of pregnancy. It is not designed to be routine contraception, otherwise known as birth control.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11% of American women used emergency contraception between 2006 and 2010. That’s 5.8 million women who admit to using something like the Plan B pill, the copper IUD, or the Ella pill. Among younger women (ages 20 to 24), use was ever more prevalent: close to a quarter of women had used it.
Why do most women use emergency contraception? The CDC reports that approximately half use it due to concern that their birth control method has failed. Half have reported using it following unprotected sex.
How to use Plan B
Plan B is an oral tablet. A person should follow all instructions on the product and consult a healthcare professional if they have any questions.
Kaiser Permanente recommends that individuals take one tablet with or without food within 72 hours after having sex without a barrier method. If they vomit within 2 hours, a doctor can advise whether it is best to take another pill.
A person should inform their doctor if they have had unexplained vaginal bleeding before taking the Plan B pill.
It is best for a person to consult a doctor 3 weeks after taking levonorgestrel contraception. They can check that the pill has worked and the individual is not pregnant or experiencing any harmful effects.
Plan B or other levonorgestrel pills are not intended for regular birth control. According to the manufacturer, Plan B is safe to take while breastfeeding and typically does not affect breastmilk supply. However, anyone breastfeeding or chestfeeding should consider seeking medical advice before taking any of these drugs.
Emergency contraceptive pills work only after one episode of sex without a barrier method. That said, individuals who engage in sexual activity without any barrier methods in the same cycle should take the pill again.
Can I Take Plan B Twice In 2 Days?
Yes, the Planned Parenthood Federation states that morning-after pills such as Plan B are totally safe to take as many times as you need to but it is not the best way to prevent pregnancy long-term.
However, the World Health Organization warns that frequent and repeated emergency contraceptive pills like Plan B use may be harmful to women with conditions classified as medical eligibility criteria (MEC) category 2, 3, or 4 for combined hormonal contraception or Progestin-only contraceptives (POC). Frequent use of emergency contraception can result in increased side-effects, such as menstrual irregularities, although their repeated use poses no known health risks.
Emergency contraceptive pills have been found to be less effective in obese women (whose body mass index is more than 30 kg/m2), but there are no safety concerns.
According to Plan B’s manufacturer, the sooner you take the pill, the more effective it is, but certain medications can alter its effectiveness.
If you take any of the following, speak with a healthcare professional before buying Plan B:
- rifampin (an antibiotic)
- griseofulvin (an antifungal)
- St. John’s wort (an herb)
- seizure medications, including carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and primidone
- some HIV medications, including efavirenz
