Reasons Not To Take Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception pills might not be a good option for you if you have a history of allergy to the medication, if you are significantly overweight, or if the unprotected sex occurred more than 120 hours earlier. There are no known medical conditions for which emergency contraception is unsafe.
Remember, even if its been more than 120 hours, and the episode occurred at mid-cycle, the chances of becoming pregnant are still low .
How To Make Sure The Ec Pill Works For You
However, there are ways you can boost the chance your pill works when you take it.
What Should You Do If You Think You Might Be Pregnant During Lockdown
Dealing with the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy can be scary enough at the best of times, but we understand it could be even more worrying during a pandemic.
Dont panic though, because essential health care services are still operating and will still be able to help you.
If you think you may be pregnant during lockdown, you have options available to you, depending on whether you want to continue with the pregnancy or not, says Julia, during COVID-19, as much of this will be done remotely as possible to protect you.
Worrying about a delayed period is rough, but there are many different reasons why it might not have come yet many of which are not a cause for concern.
The length of your menstrual cycle can vary from month to month and things like stress and different sleeping patterns can also have an impact. As the morning after pill works by delaying ovulation, it makes sense that it may also push back your period by a couple of days.
Dont jump to any conclusions and see if that pesky period arrives. Remember that you have options no matter what happens its your body, your choice.
If youve taken the morning after pill and would like to share your experience, please do so by clicking the link below.
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Bleeding 5 Days After Plan B
Many females may experience heavy bleeding or spotting after taking Plan B medication. It is one of the common expected side effects of the medication and if this occurs, you should not be worried.
However, if you are bleeding more than usual for a longer period of time, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Who Should Not Take Plan B
Even though Plan B is very effective, it isnt right for everyone and is less effective under the following circumstances:
- Its less effective the longer you wait to take it, so take it as soon as possible.
- Its not effective if youre already ovulating.
If you have a BMI thats 30 or greater, a copper IUD or the Ella morning-after pill may be better options for you. The Paragard IUD is almost 99.9% effective at preventing pregnancy if it is put in within five days after unprotected sex, and once inserted, can prevent pregnancy for up to 12 years.
Ella emergency contraception works to prevent pregnancy up to five days after sex and lowers the risk of pregnancy by about 85%. However, you should not take Plan B or other morning-after pills containing levonorgestrel if you have taken Ella since your last period.
Note: Unlike the Plan B pill, the Ella morning-after pill requires a prescription from a doctor to obtain. The Paragard IUD is available by prescription and through your doctor or family planning clinic. Youll need your OB-GYN to insert the IUD, so if you decide to go that route, call the office as soon as possible and explain the situation so they can bring you in quickly to insert the IUD.
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When Should I Contact My Healthcare Provider About Side Effects From Plan B
As mentioned, none of the side effects discussed here should be severe. If youre experiencing any side effects that are greatly interfering with your daily routine or arent going away, contact your healthcare provider.
This is especially important if you experience unusual vaginal bleeding or severe stomach or pelvic pain during the weeks that follow taking Plan B. In very rare cases, people have experienced ectopic pregnancies after using emergency contraception.
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that happens outside of the uterus. Its a medical emergency and can be life-threatening. Severe stomach or pelvic pain can be a warning sign of this condition. Seek emergency medical care if you believe youre experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.
Could Plan B Delay Your Period Even On Bc Pills
Levonorgestrel is found in birth control pills, but Plan B contains a higher dose that can alter your bodys natural hormone levels. The extra hormones can, in turn, affect the menstrual cycle, leading to an earlier or delayed period as well as heavier or lighter bleeding. What if its been longer than expected and still no period?
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Is It Normal To Have Spotting After Plan B
After taking plan B, it is normal for women to experience bleeding and spotting due to the progestin hormone that is contained in the pill. Bleeding can occur within seven days after you have taken this emergency contraception. However, the bleeding should come to an end by the time your next period is starting.
Emergency Contraception Pill Forms
EC pills come mainly in 3 different forms.
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Irregular Periods After Plan B Use
Guest over a year ago
In February, I used Plan B as emergency contraception after unprotected intercourse. Since then, I have had two periods. However, I was wondering if Plan B had disrupted my cycle? It took 6 weeks for me to get the second period, and now I’m late for the third! I have not had unprotected intercourse since and cannot think of anytime since that I should worry about. I have taken two pregnency tests and both results were negative. I have cramps and PMS, but no sign of bleeding.
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CassieC15479 over a year ago
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In reply to Guest on 2006-05-18 – click to read
Why It Affects Your Period
Morning-after pills such as Plan B and Ella help prevent you from getting pregnant after having unprotected sex. They work by stopping or delaying ovulation. In doing so, they might also affect the length of your normal menstrual cycle. For this reason, many women experience an abnormal period after theyve taken the morning-after pill. How it affects your period might depend on where you are in your cycle when you take the morning-after pill. In fact, you might not have any irregularities at all.
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How Can I Relieve Plan B Side Effects
Yeah, if youre feeling even remotely sh*tty, I get that you wanna find a quick fix. The most important thing Dr. Jackson-Bey suggests is to stay hydrated. Meanwhile, any headaches or breast tenderness can be treated with an OTC painkiller like Advil or Tylenol.
Otherwise, just rest up! Feeling fatigued? Acknowledge that youre feeling off for a reason and curl up with a good Netflix show. Remember that this is totally temporary and you *will* be back to normal soon.
Can Plan B Affect Your Period
The short answer is yes: Plan B can affect your period because it can change your menstrual cycles timing. The National Institutes of Health says that emergency contraception may cause mild side effects like menstrual bleeding changes. After taking Plan B, your next period may start earlier or later than you expect, and it could be heavier or lighter than usual. To understand why you have to know how emergency contraception works.
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My Period Is Late After Taking The Morning After Pill Should I Be Worried
I forgot to take some pills during my last cycle. I missed at least two tablets. So, in a panic, I took the morning after pill 12 hours after having sex with my boyfriend. That was now two weeks ago! Since then, hes worn a condom and Ive taken my contraception But I still havent had my period. Im three days late and Im very worried. Does that mean Im pregnant? Anonymous, 23
What the expert says:
For some women, the morning after pill can cause your period to come early. In others, its the opposite they may cause your period to come late. Theres no need to panic in either situation. Youve made the right decision to use condoms since then, and to continue to take your oral contraceptive. Well done on being responsible.
The fear of getting pregnant and the hormonal changes, related to stress, may also be causing your period to be late, especially if you dont have any symptoms that might indicate pregnancy . Its a good idea to wait for a week after the expected date of your period before doing a pregnancy test to be sure the results are accurate they can be easily found at a pharmacy. If the test comes back negative and you still dont have your period, its advised that you make an appointment with your doctor so they can examine you. In case of any doubt, the doctor will prescribe a blood test to check your beta-hCG , to find out whats going on with your body.
You Dont Take It Soon Enough
Morning-after pills like Plan B and Next Choice are effective if you take them within five days of unprotected sex. The major caveat here is that they work best when taken within 72 hours, then the efficacy starts dropping. Within three days after unprotected sex, these kinds of morning-after pills are between 75 and 89 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood. The sooner you take it, the better its going to work, Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale Medical School, tells SELF. Although levonorgesterel-based options like Plan B and Next Choice prevent pregnancy up to five days after unprotected sex, think of those first 72 hours as prime time.
Ella, the prescription morning-after pill, is also effective for up to five days after unprotected sex, but its equally as effective the entire time, Katharine OConnell White, M.D., M.P.H., director of fellowship in family planning, Boston University/Boston Medical Center, tells SELF. Ella decreases your risk of getting pregnant by 85 percent if you take it within the appropriate window.
Paragard also needs to be inserted within that five-day window in order to be effective.
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What Happens When I Take Plan B
Again, Plan B is *not* an abortion pill, but it will work with your body to prevent a pregnancy from ever occurring. Heres how it all goes down:
Plan Bs active ingredient is levonorgestrel, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone thats found in many hormonal birth controls. The difference here, per Dr. Jackson-Bey, is that theres a much higher dosage of levonorgestrel compared to regular contraception.
This large, concentrated dose disrupts the bodys normal hormone patterns, which is why its so time-sensitive, she explains. This delays ovulation, preventing fertilization. How? Well, if youre not ovulating, theres no egg hanging around the fallopian tubes for the sperm to meet up with. And per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, sperm can chill in the body for up to five days. SoI guess you could call this the only good form of ghosting? Is that a stretch?
On top of the ghosting, that extra oomph of hormones also thickens your cervical mucus. The thicker the cervical mucus , the less likely it is for sperm to even reach the fallopian tubes, Dr. Jackson-Bey says.
And if you had unprotected P-in-V intercourse around the time you normally ovulate? Dont push the 72-hour ruleyou should take Plan B as soon as you can, explains Dr. Jackson-Bey.
Maximum Delay In Periods After Taking Ipill
The answer is yes, the morning after pill can delay or advance your period: although this affirmation depends on several factors. As mentioned before, the morning after pill is composed of a high hormonal dosage, which will affect your regular hormonal cycle.
Some of the most common side effects of taking the morning after pill include:
- Headaches.
- Changes in heaviness of bleeding during pregnancy.
- Delay or advancement of your period.
The delays or advances of your period will depend on the moment of the cycle in which the pill was taken. If you take the morning after pill a couple of days before your ovulation cycle it may make your period come earlier. However, if you take Plan B three or more days after ovulation, it could make your period come later. In addition, some studies show that the earlier you take the pill within the 72 hour limit, the earlier the appearance of your period might be.
If your period is over a week late, it may mean that it did not work and there is a possibility of pregnancy. You can test this by going to your nearest pharmacy and buying a pregnancy test.
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