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.
ellaOne® 30mg film-coated tablet contains ulipristal acetate and is indicated for emergency contraception within 120 hours of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Always read the label.
Where To Buy Plan B
Adults can buy Plan B One-Step over-the-counter without a prescription at most drugstores and pharmacies. You can also get it from family planning centers or health department clinics.
Unfortunately, Plan B can be quite expensive at about $38 to $58 per pill. Most insurance companies will cover the cost if a healthcare provider prescribes it as an emergency contraceptive. If youre not able to get a prescription, you may be able to get it for free or at a lower price from Planned Parenthood.
Another way to save money on the morning-after pill is SingleCares drug coupon. These coupons could give you discounts of up to 80% off, but you will need to seek a prescription from your provider first. SingleCare offers discounts on other forms of birth control, too. Learn how to find free birth control without health insurance here.
When To See A Doctor Or Other Healthcare Professional
Any time you feel unsure, reach out to a doctor or other healthcare professional.
That could be after having sex without a barrier and needing advice on emergency contraception, or it could be after getting a positive result from a pregnancy test.
You can even speak with a doctor about contraception in general. Theyll be able to advise you on safe, long-term options.
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What Plan B One
Emergency contraception is often mistakenly confused with the early abortion pill, RU486 . These two medications serve two different purposes and work completely different from one another.
Plan B One-Step is not an abortion pill. It is also not effective if taken after you are already pregnant. The new Plan B will not terminate an existing pregnancy. According to Teva Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Plan B One-Step, there is no evidence that Plan B One-Step harms a pregnant person or a developing fetus.
Teva Pharmaceuticals also advises that Plan B One-Step should not be used as a substitute for routine contraception use. Plan B One-Step offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections or HIV.
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How Often Can I Take It
You can take Plan B as often as you need to, but the more you take it, the more likely you are to have spotting and menstrual irregularities. If you find yourself needing Plan B often, talk to your doctor about other methods of birth control that may be more effective.
Plan B doesnt cause miscarriage and isnt an abortion pill. You shouldnt have the type of heavy blood flow that contains large clots.
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What The Pill Does
The emergency pills work by delaying ovulation, that is, the release of an egg from the ovary.
- In a woman with a regular 28-day cycle, the release of an egg usually happens about 14 days following the first day of the last menstrual period.
- A regular cycle means you usually will have a montly bleeding about the same time each month with one or two days earlier or later on some occasion.
The pill changes your hormones to prevent the release of the egg, usually till sperm from sexual activity have died off.
Since we know that sperm can remain alive in the woman for 3-5 days, the hEC pill delays ovulation for 5 days after which you then ovulate.
If you do have sex again after the postponed ovulation happens, you could get pregnant despite the pill. Hence you must resume your regular contraception method straight away or use another emergency pill after sex.
Period 2 Weeks Early After Plan B
The majority of the women who experience early periods after taking the medication do so about a week earlier than expected, which is indicative that they are not pregnant.
There is not enough data available that Plan B can cause your period to be earlier than two weeks.
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How Likely Is It Youll Get Pregnant After Taking Plan B
According to a 2010 study of women who took Plan B after having unprotected sex, its over 97% effective if you take it within 72 hours of having sex.1 The Plan B packaging itself says its 95% effective within 24 hours.2 That effectiveness drops the longer you wait. Plan Bs maker estimates that its only 61% effective 48 to 72 hours after sex, and even less so after that.2
The effectiveness of Plan B also seems to decrease as body mass index gets higher. For many people, the subject of BMI can be uncomfortable to downright controversial, since it rates your health based on your ratio of height to weight. Still, its a metric that drug makers use when theres reason to believe a drug is less effective for people who are overweight or obese.
Plan B is reportedly most effective for people with a BMI of 25 or lower.3 If youre 54 , thats 145 pounds or less.4 And its considered not effective for anyone with a BMI over 303 54 and over 175 lbs.
If your BMI is between 30 and 35, the emergency contraceptive Ella is a better bet if its over 35, a copper IUD may be best. Talk to your doctor if youre unsure which is right for you.
Because your fertility changes with your cycle, you might consider different emergency contraceptive options at different times of the month.
Is It Normal To Bleed A Week After Taking Plan B
One of the expected side effects of the medication is experiencing spotting or bleeding between periods after taking the medication.
In addition, light spotting or having a heavier flow are common side effects of the medication and should not be a cause of concern. But, if you are bleeding more than usual for a longer period of time, please consult your doctor.
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Plan B Can Make Your Period Late But Not For More Than One Menstrual Cycle
- Plan B menstrual cycle and alter when your period comes, menstrual flow, and how long your period lasts.
- Plan B can often alter when your period comes or change its flow. This is due to the active hormone in Plan B called levonorgestrel that prevents pregnancy.
- Plan B does not terminate pregnancy and should not be taken as regular birth control .
Plan B is a form of emergency birth control, often referred to as the morning-after pill, that can help prevent pregnancy in the event of unprotected sex or birth control failure.
Taking Plan B could affect the timing of your next period or cause other menstrual irregularities like bleeding between periods, and heavier or lighter menstrual flow. However, plan Bs effects on your period shouldnt persist beyond one menstrual cycle.
Plan B should only be used as a backup in case you need emergency birth control. It should not be taken regularly or used as a replacement for other forms of birth control.
Heres how plan B may disrupt your menstrual cycle and what to expect after taking it.
What is in Plan B?
Levonorgestrel is the active hormone in Plan B, says Krishna Kakani, an MD who has her own OB/GYN practice.
Levonorgestrel is a synthetic progestin hormone that prevents pregnancy in two ways:
- Fallback
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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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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.
It Can Be A Long Wait
If youre reading this article, odds are youve taken a morning-after pill and are anxious to learn if youre pregnant. Know that many people have been in your position before you, and understand how you feel. Its normal to feel worried. Try to take care of yourself, and talk to your doctor if you want more information or more help.
Remember: If you took Plan B on time, and are within its recommended weight range, its very effective. Its also worth noting that if you take plan B and still get pregnant, it wont terminate the pregnancy, and it wont harm you or the fetus.15
And remember, emergency contraceptives should only be used in emergencies. If youre sexually active and dont want to get pregnant, we strongly recommend finding a highly effective thats right for you. Uncertainty is stressful, and a highly effective birth control can mean peace of mind no matter what happens.
References
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How Effective Is Plan B And How Long Is It Effective For
Whether you forgot to take the pill or the condom broke, you still have an option for preventing pregnancybut you have to act fast. Plan B One-Step is a morning-after pill that can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or birth control failure. Emergency contraception can offer peace of mind, but many women still wonder: How effective is Plan B?
Bleeding After Plan B: When It’s Normal And When It’s An Early Pregnancy Sign
- Bleeding after is normal – it could be spotting or a sign of an early period.
- You may also experience symptoms like breast tenderness, dizziness, nausea, and headache.
- But it could be implantation bleeding if it occurs 10-14 days after you’ve last ovulated.
Plan B, also called the morning-after pill, stops you from getting pregnant by interfering with your menstrual cycle. This means you might notice irregular bleeding after taking the pill.
While some unexpected bleeding is normal, spotting can also be a sign of implantation, one of the early stages of pregnancy.
Here’s how to interpret your post-Plan B bleeding to determine if Plan B worked, or not.
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What If Its Been Longer Than Expected And Still No Period
Its normal for Plan B to affect the timing of your period. But if its a week later than usual or still hasnt arrived within 3 weeks of taking Plan B, theres a possibility that youre pregnant.
EC pills containing levonorgestrel can reduce the chance of pregnancy by 95 percent if taken within 24 hours of sex. This lowers to 88 percent if the pill is taken between 24 and 72 hours after sex.
If youre unsure whether Plan B has worked, take a pregnancy test.
Take one straight away if you keep track of your cycle and know that your period is at least a week late.
But if youre not sure where you are in your menstrual cycle, wait 3 weeks after taking Plan B before using a pregnancy test.
Pregnancy tests detect a specific type of hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin , which is only produced a few days after conception. So taking one too early can produce a false result.
If your test comes back negative, wait a couple more weeks to see if your period arrives.
If it doesnt, take another pregnancy test and visit a doctor for advice on delayed periods if the result comes back negative once again.
If the result is positive, book a doctors appointment. Theyll be able to confirm your pregnancy and talk you through all the available options, including both medical and surgical abortions.
How Do You Know If Plan B Worked
The only way to know if Plan B has prevented pregnancy is to wait for your next period. If your period arrives more than a week late, you may want to consider taking a pregnancy test. Some women will experience light bleeding after taking Plan B and may take this as a sign that its worked to prevent pregnancy. However, spotting is an expected side effect of the morning-after pill and isnt an indication that it has or has not prevented pregnancy. Getting your period and/or a negative pregnancy test is the only way to know for sure.
Plan B is not an abortion pill and will not end a pregnancy if youre already pregnant. If youve accidentally taken Plan B after youre already pregnant, its good to know that there is no evidence to suggest that its harmful to developing babies. If it doesnt work and you become pregnant, its unlikely that it will cause harm to you or your baby. Talking with your healthcare provider is the best way to learn about family planning methods that will work best for you.
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If Your Period Is Later Than Seven Days Does It Mean Youre Pregnant
If your period is later than seven days it does not necessarily mean you are pregnant, but you should do a pregnancy test to rule it out, says Julia.
Most pregnancy tests will be accurate 21 days after the unprotected sex took place, or from the first day of a missed period.
However as mentioned above, factors like stress, sudden weight loss, changing or coming off your contraceptive pill and changes in schedule can all have an affect on your menstrual cycle.
Did you know different phases of the menstrual cycle make you angry, horny, hungry? Find out more about your menstrual cycle here.
Next Period Vs Morning After Pill Spotting
After taking emergency contraception, it is normal to experience some light bleeding or spotting as an effect of the extra hormones. It is important to note that this bleeding is not the same as your period. Heres what you can expect from any morning after pill bleeding:
- Timing: Any bleeding from the morning after pill will start within a few days after taking it.
- Duration: If you do bleed, it will only last a day or two, or occasionally slightly longer.
- Flow: Morning after pill bleeding will be very light, possibly even just a few spots.
- Other potential side effects: The hormones in the morning after pill can also cause side effects like abdominal pain, nausea, headaches, fatigue, breast tenderness, and dizziness. These should subside within a few days.
If you find yourself in need of the morning after pill, South Avenue Womens can help. Our medical professionals can help you access emergency contraception and then set you up with a reliable birth control option. If you missed the window for emergency contraception and are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, we can also can provide information about and perform safe, confidential, and effective abortion services if you decide thats what is right for you.
Call us today at to schedule an appointment with our caring team members!
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