Types Of Emergency Contraception Pills
There are 2 types of emergency contraceptive pills commonly sold in the U.S.:
Editor’s note: Technically, a doctor could have you take higher doses of regular combination birth control pills as emergency contraception, something called the Yuzpe regimen. But that’s not as effective as the other 2 types listed above, and it brings with it more side effects. Additionally, the copper IUD could be inserted within 5 days as a form of emergency contraception.
Scientists have found that both Plan B One-Step that you can get over-the-counter, or the prescription for ella, are safe to use to prevent pregnancy. Any side effects that you have after taking either of the emergency contraceptive pills should be mild and short-term.
After you take emergency contraceptive pills, the most common side effect is – you guessed it – changes to your menstrual periods.
Here is a list of some possible side effects after using a “morning-after” pill like Plan B:
- Irregular bleeding
- Fatigue
What Choices Are Available For Emergency Contraceptive Pills
There are three types of emergency birth control pills available in the United States:
Progestin only: These pills contain only the hormone progestin. They are sold under the names Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, Take Action, My Way, and more. Its available over-the-counter to anyone of any age.
Ulipristal acetate: Another option is a pill containing ulipristal acetate. Its sold under the name ella in the United States and is available by prescription only.
Progestin plus estrogen: Combined hormonal pills contain both progestin and estrogen these are the typical daily birth control pills that you can get by prescription. Find out more about which brands can be used as emergency contraception, and how, from the Office of Population Research at Princeton University.
No matter which option you choose, it should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. Plan B One-Step indicates it should be taken within 72 hours after sex ella should be taken within 120 hours. But the sooner you take it, the better chance it works.
Is It Safe To Delay Periods
Trying to stop, skip or delay anything that is natural is going against nature but not necessarily harmful. But if someone overdoes popping of pills, they can affect their body.
Every woman has a different system. Many have irregular periods all the time and some only have such a situation when theyre pregnant or breastfeeding. While it is unnatural to stop your period completely, combined contraceptive pills can help delay it. Combined contraceptive pills are the ones that help delay the period and avoid unwanted pregnancy. The combined oral contraceptive pill is usually taken for 21 days followed by a seven-day pill-free time, during which you will experience a bleed. These were designed by doctors in an attempt to replicate a womans natural cycle, which is why there is a seven-day break for a bleed to occur. You can take these pills back to back but it is recommended by the doctors that you must have 2-3 bleeds a year to allow your womb lining to shed.
Dr Uma Vaidyanathan, Consultant Gynaecologist and Unit Head at Max Hospital, New Delhi, says that a one-time use of period delaying pills is perfectly fine. However, one should not make it a habit of using these pills quite often as these pills suppress the natural hormonal cycle of the body. One should use it until their purpose is served and get back to their routine as early as possible.
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Changes In Your Period
Taking a morning after pill can cause your period to be lighter or heavier, or arrive earlier or come late. These side effects are due to the high-dose progesterone acting on the lining of the uterus at variable points in time during the menstrual cycle, says Hoskins.How it affects your cycle depends on where exactly you are in your cycle when you take it. And while it may cause changes, these are always temporary, especially when the pill is used correctly, i.e. very rarely/occasionally and not regularly and repeatedly, she says.Your next period should be normal, and come at the expected time, or within a week of the expected time.
READ MORE: The Smart Girls Guide To Contraceptives
When Do I Need To See A Doctor
- you experience an allergic reaction
- your next period is more than 5 days late or very light
- you have had unprotected sex with someone who may have a sexually transmitted disease
- you vomit or have diarrhoea within three hours of taking the tablet
- you experience side effects which bother you or which persist after the treatment
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If You Take Levonelle Or Ellaone
Levonelle and ellaOne don’t continue to protect you against pregnancy if you have unprotected sex at any time after taking the emergency pill, you can become pregnant.
They aren’t intended to be used as a regular form of contraception. But you can use emergency contraception more than once in a menstrual cycle if you need to.
Whats The Short Answer
Getting your period after taking emergency contraception like Plan B is a sign that youre not pregnant. So its understandable that youll want to know exactly when to expect your period.
EC can affect the length of your menstrual cycle, meaning that your next period may come later or earlier than normal. Usually, it can be anything from a week earlier to a week later.
But everyone is different, and you may find that your period takes even longer to arrive.
The hormones found within Plan B can alter your next period in several ways. While some people may notice no change, others have reported everything from different durations to heavier bleeding.
Heres what to expect.
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Side Effects Of Using The Emergency Pill
There are no serious or long-term side effects from taking the emergency contraceptive pill.
But it can cause:
- tummy pain
- changes to your next period it can be earlier, later or more painful than usual
- feeling or being sick get medical attention if you’re sick within 2 hours of taking Levonelle or 3 hours of taking ellaOne, as you’ll need to take another dose or have an IUD fitted
See a GP or nurse if your symptoms don’t go away after a few days or if:
- you think you might be pregnant
- your next period is more than 7 days late
- your period is shorter or lighter than usual
- you have sudden pain in your lower tummy in rare cases, a fertilised egg may have implanted outside the womb
Contraception For The Future
If you’re not using a regular method of contraception, you might consider doing so to protect yourself from an unintended pregnancy.
There are several methods of contraception that protect you for a long period, so you don’t have to think about them once they’re in place, or remember to use or take them every day or every time you have sex.
These methods include the:
See a GP, nurse or visit your nearest sexual health clinic to discuss the options available.
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When Will You Get Your Next Period
You may experience some irregularities with your period after taking emergency contraception, but you should have a normal period within the following month, according to the Princeton University website for emergency contraception.
When your period arrives may be related to when you took the emergency contraceptive pill. Generally, women started their periods a day earlier when they used emergency contraception more than two days before ovulation, and their periods were two days later than expected when they took the pills more than two days after ovulation, according to a study completed at Princeton. Because taking the emergency contraceptive pill does not guarantee that you wont get pregnant, you should take a pregnancy test if your period is more than a week late.
You may also notice some spotting after taking the medication and before your next period. You might notice that your first period is lighter or heavier than normal. This should resolve by the following month.
Late Period After After Plan B
So, how long does Plan B delay ovulation? Those women who took the pill more than two days after their ovulation date experienced late periods. However, these delays usually last for just a few days. When your period is delayed for 7 days or more, it may indicate that the morning pill did not work and that there is a possibility that you are pregnant. If you are wondering, Did the morning after pill work? we recommend taking a pregnancy test. For more, take a look at our article on the symptoms of pregnancy .
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Took The Morning After Pill Then Missed 2 Periods Is This Normal Or Not
On October 6th I was drunk at a party and ended up having sex. We used a condom but we were so drunk and we didn’t really know what was happening so just to be safe I just took “Next Choice” the next day October 7th. After taking the pill a week later I had brown discharge for a day and ended up bleeding for two days then after that I didn’t get my period for the month of October. It’s November 19th today and I still haven’t gotten my period,I have an irregular period but I usually get it in the middle of the month or the last week of the month,it’s almost two months since my last period,am I pregnant? We used a condom and I took the pill just to make sure.
Official Answer
The morning after pill is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. It will be most effective if taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. Within 24 hours is best, but it can prevent pregnancy if taken up to 120 hours after sex. Side effects are usually short-term and mild. Some women feel sick and it helps to take the pill with food. Anti-nausea tablets are available on prescription if needed. Some women experience a change in bleeding pattern and this is in response to hormone fluctuations. Your next period may come at the normal time, but it may be early or late and it could be heavier than usual. All scenarios are normal.
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How Does It Work
Even though not everybody agrees exactly on how the My Way pill works, it is generally believed that the progestin in My Way works to prevent pregnancy in a similar way that birth control pills domainly that it helps to prevent ovulation.
The FDA has required the manufacturer of My Way Morning-After Pill to indicate on its product labeling that this emergency contraceptive may also work by preventing a fertilized egg to implant to the uterine wall.
It should be noted, though, that current research on levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception suggests that My Way does not appear to affect implantation.
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Making Emergency Birth Control Work For You
About half of all pregnancies in the USA are unintended . The popularity of long-acting reversible contraception methods like IUDs helps decrease this number .
Emergency contraception can stop an unintended pregnancy before it happens. An ECP is not a long-term solution for birth control â it isnât as effective as other forms of birth control. But knowing the options can help make emergency contraception as effective as possible for you. Understanding your cycle and acting quickly are the most important things you can do to make emergency contraception work for you.
Delayed 2nd Period After Taking The Morning After Pill
In freak out mode at the moment..which of course doesnt help the situation!!!Is it common for your 2nd period to be delayed after take the MAP?? Or could I be in fact pregnant…. stupid I know but Im too scared to take a test. I’m currently 4 days late for my 2nd period. Ok a little background:
My cycle length is 31 days CD 1 – – normal periodCD 8 – unprotected sex
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What Are Different Types Of Period Delaying Pills
Phasic pills
These contain two or three sections of different coloured pills in a pack. Each section contains a different amount of hormones. One pill is taken each day for 21 days and then no pills are taken for the next seven days. Phasic pills need to be taken in the right order.
Mini-pills
The progestin-only or mini-pills contain the only norethindrone. When you finish one pack of progestin-only pills, you start another pack the next day.
How Will My Birth Control Affect My Bleeding
Birth control methods such as the pill, patch, vaginal ring, shot and IUD can all impact your menstrual bleeding. Some birth control methods can increase bleeding, and some can decrease it. Many aspects of bleeding can be affected, and these effects can change over time. Periods can be longer, shorter, heavier, or lighter, depending on the method of birth control. Spotting and irregular bleeding are common side effects of most methods of hormonal birth control, especially in the first few months of use.
Birth control pills
Birth control pills were originally only packaged as 28 pills 21 pills containing the hormone required to suppress ovulation, and 7 placebo pills . The 7 days of placebo were designed to allow menstruation to occur. Today there are a variety of regimens available, such as 24 days of active-ingredient pills and 4 days of placebo, and extended-cycle regimens that can be taken for up to a year to stop all menstrual bleeding.
Injected and implanted contraceptives
Irregular, unpredictable bleeding is very common in women using long-acting, progestin-based birth control methods . After a year of use, about half of women will have no periods.
Intrauterine devices
Vaginal ring
Emergency contraceptives
Emergency contraception is not to be used as a regular method of birth control but, if needed, it can help prevent unplanned pregnancies.
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