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What’s the Plan B Morning-After Pill?

Today, we will explore the topic of Plan B morning-after pills and understand what they are, when to take them, and why they might be necessary.

In sex life, there are standard contraceptives, such as condoms, dental dams, birth control pills, and other options. All of them are taken or implemented before the sex act to avoid unwanted pregnancies, STIs, or both.
However, even if you’re extra careful, things don’t always go according to plan.
If the sex you had may result in your pregnancy or that of your partner, one of the solutions can be taking an emergency contraceptive – the Plan B morning-after pill.

What Is Plan B?

Plan B, or the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraceptive drug that is designed to prevent pregnancy after you have unprotected sex or your primary contraceptive failed.
It contains the levonorgestrel dosage of 1.5 mg of a synthetic hormone that prevents pregnancy from ever happening.

Plan B is NOT an Abortion

The common misconception is that Plan B is an abortion drug, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. To have an abortion, the person needs to get pregnant first. Plan B ensures that the pregnancy never happens by preventing the ovulation, fertilization, and implantation from ever starting.
Tip: Because Plan B is not an abortion pill, it is available over-the-counter in most pharmacies, so you won’t need to go to the doctor and get a prescription.

How Does the Morning-After Pill Work?

Okay, so it’s a pill that you take after sex, but how does Plan B work exactly?
  1. You take the pill after intercourse, ideally within the first 24 hours, although Plan B works for up to 72 hours after you have unprotected sex.
  2. The levonorgestrel (a synthetic hormone in the pill) gets into your body and delays or prevents ovulation. Essentially, it stops the ovary from releasing an egg, leaving sperm in your body with nothing to fertilize. It’s like the robber coming to someone’s house with nothing they can steal because it’s empty.
  3. At the same time, the cervical mucus thickens, meaning it becomes harder for sperm to reach an egg in case ovulation has already occurred and it’s impossible to delay it.
  4. Lastly, the uterine lining is altered, so it’s less suitable for implantation.
The effectiveness of Plan B is highest within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex happens. It also won’t work if the person is already pregnant at the time of taking the pill.
Important: Morning-after pills are not intended as a regular birth method. It is an emergency drug that should not be taken continuously but rather as a backup option when your primary contraception method fails you.

How Effective is Plan B?

Everyone’s experience with Plan B pills is different. A lot depends on one’s medical condition, the time the pill is taken, and even the amount of stress they’re in.
  • Plan B pill effectiveness peaks during the first 24 hours after intercourse.
  • The pill may be less effective in the period between 25 and 72 hours after unprotected sex. Exactly how effective Plan B is within 24 hours is hard to pin because it varies depending on the person taking it.
  • The morning-after pill’s effectiveness also depends on a person's weight and can fail to prevent pregnancy for anyone over 165 lbs (75 kg).
Note: If you’ve had unprotected sex and think you might get pregnant, reach out to a medical professional if you can do it safely and quickly. The doctor will consult you, address your worries, and help you find the best solution.
Although Plan B’s effectiveness is not 100%, it is still a pretty reliable method of preventing an unwanted pregnancy. The average Plan B success rate is believed to be up to 95% within the first 24 hours and then falling anywhere between 58% to 85% for 25-92 hours after intercourse.

How to Take Plan B One-Step

Once you secure the morning-after pill, you must take it ASAP for the best effect.
  1. Swallow one pill (not more!) as soon as you can.
  2. You don’t have to eat or fast to take the pill; it works equally well whether you’ve had food or not. However, if you feel nauseous after you’ve taken one, eat a small snack; it should help.
  3. Sometimes, people’s bodies have a reaction that causes nausea. If you’ve vomited within the first 2-3 hours after taking the pill, consult a pharmacist or a doctor, as you might have to take another one.
  4. Stay alert and watch out for side effects. We’ll talk about side effects later in this article, but the main ones are nausea, dizziness, fatigue, headache, and irregular bleeding.
Remember: Plan B may help you with your latest unprotected intercourse, but it won’t protect you against future sex, even if you have it within the same day after taking the pill. You should always have another contraception method at your disposal. If you don’t and there is another risk of pregnancy right after you’ve taken the pill, it’s best to consult a doctor on your next steps.

When to Take Morning-After Pills

There are several instances when taking a morning-after pill may be necessary.
  • You had unprotected vaginal sex
  • You had contraception but it failed (condom broke), or it wasn’t properly used
  • You missed a birth control pill (even if it’s only one day)
  • IUD, diaphragm, or cervical cap was dislodged in the process
  • You used the withdrawal method, and your partner didn’t pull out on time
  • You experienced sexual assault (forced, non-consensual sex)
All cases above require immediate action, and Plan B can help reduce the chance of unwanted pregnancy very effectively.
Even though you can buy the pill without the prescription, consider going to the doctor to make sure the pregnancy didn’t occur. Also, if you had unprotected sex with someone you don’t know well or were assaulted, it’s a good idea to run a few tests to eliminate the risk of carrying an infection.

Plan B Side Effects

If you’re going to use this emergency contraceptive drug, you should know about all common morning-after pill side effects.
  1. Nausea
  2. Headache
  3. Fatigue
  4. Dizziness
  5. Abdominal pain
  6. Cramps
  7. Breast tenderness
  8. Mood changes
It’s also possible that the Plan B pill will temporarily alter the menstrual cycle, for example, leading to:
  1. Change in the timing of the period
  2. Make bleeding lighter or heavier
  3. Cause irregular spotting before the period
Some people also experience vomiting after taking the pill. If that happens to you within 2 hours after taking the medication, you need to consult a pharmacist or a doctor, as taking another pill might be necessary.
The dangers of morning-after pills have not yet been thoroughly studied. Partially, it’s due to the short period that has passed since they were introduced, and partially, the fault is with the big pharma and the scientific world not prioritizing women’s health enough.
However, most people would not experience side effects of Plan B that would be harsh enough, and the risk of experiencing any of the Plan B symptoms would be considerably low compared to the benefit that you would get in return, i.e., avoiding an unwanted pregnancy.

Final Thoughts on Plan B Pill

Plan B is an excellent option for someone in an emergency. If you had unprotected sex or were assaulted, it’s an essential instrument in preventing unwanted pregnancies. Although it is available over-the-counter, it should not be considered as a safe birth control method. It can’t be taken many times in a row and can cause disturbing side effects.
Overall, it is a safe one-time method to prevent pregnancies, but you should always prioritize other contraceptive methods to stay safe during intercourse. There is a wealth of methods these days, besides condoms, to help you avoid getting pregnant during vaginal sex.
At Flure, we encourage users always to stay protected and use multiple methods of contraceptives, too, for example, a condom and a birth control pill. Although pills can help with pregnancies, they do not protect you against STIs, so that should be considered too when choosing your next sexy date.
If you want to find lovers who value safety and comfort and are open-minded about sex, join Flure by downloading the app today.
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Plan B FAQ:

What is Plan B used for?

Plan B is an emergency contraceptive that is used after unprotected sex or sexual assault occurs.

Is Plan B 100% safe?

When it comes to drugs, none of them are 100% effective, as there is always a small risk that your body will have an abnormal reaction or experience severe side effects. However, the chance of serious complications is very low.

What happens after taking a pill?

After you take the pill, the hormone in it will prevent ovulation and thicken cervical mucus to stop pregnancy.

Can I be pregnant after taking the morning-after pill?

There is a chance that you might get pregnant even if you’ve taken the pill. Plan B drugs are up to 95% effective within the first 24 hours after sex, and they slowly decline in efficiency up until 72 hours after sex, after which they are not working at all. Moreover, if you are already pregnant when you’re taking the pill, it won’t terminate the pregnancy as it is not an abortion pill.

Is one morning-after pill enough to prevent pregnancy?

Most of the time, one pill would be sufficient. Still, the Plan B dosage can be increased on a case-by-case basis depending on many factors, including the person’s weight, ovulation timing, multiple instances of unprotected sex events after taking the first pill, and the timing of taking them, i.e., how many hours or days passed after unprotected sex.