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.
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
When Should You Use It
My Way can be taken at any time during your monthly cycle. It is meant to be used as emergency birth control if you have had sex without using any contraception or if you believe that birth control failure might have happened .
My Way should be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Use My Way as soon as possible because it is most effective the sooner you take it.
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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.
Why You Need To Wait To Take A Pregnancy Test
Plan B is only 95% effective. That means there is a chance that you were unlucky and had already ovulated that is, were at peak fertility right before you had unprotected sex. Even if you use Plan B as directed, you could be in the 5% non-effective group.
If you do get pregnant, heres what happens in your body next, and why you have to wait a few days before you can take a pregnancy test.
First, the egg released by your ovaries will be fertilized by a sperm in your fallopian tube.13 It can then take up to nine days for the fertilized egg to implant into your uterus.13 This triggers the growth of the placenta, which starts making a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, which shows up in your urine.13
A certain level of hCG needs to be present in your urine before a pregnancy test can actually detect it. The delay of a few days each for fertilization, implantation, and hCG production is why you have to wait so long after sex before you can take a pregnancy test and expect real results.
How long do you have to wait to take a pregnancy test? Some pregnancy tests say you can start testing as early as six days before your period , like Clearblue and others that bill themselves as early detection. Regular pregnancy tests are the most accurate if you wait till your period is supposed to start .14
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How The Emergency Contraception Pill Works
The EC pill is the method you reach for after having unplanned sex when you do not have protection. Protection means taking a regular contraception method like daily pills, implants, injections, or using a condom before sex.
Currently, after unprotected intercourse, we have two main methods for preventing an unplanned pregnancy the emergency pills or the copper IUD.
The Copper IUD or Copper coil is a small device that an experienced health provider fits inside your womb in the clinic.
It is the most effective emergency birth control method and needs to be fitted within five days of unplanned sex or five days of ovulation.
But if you cant get the Copper coil, the emergency contraception pill is your next best bet.
Heavy Bleeding A Week 5 Or 4 Days After
Heavy bleeding seven days, 5 or 4 days after taking plan B is considered normal. The bleeding is occasioned by the shedding of your uterine lining, which is exactly what plan B was designed to do. You will find that your next period will pick up in the following month.
However, it is recommended that you do not engage in unprotected sex until your normal cycle is back. If possible, ensure that you get on a birth control method, as Plan B One-Step should only be used as an emergency method, and not as a regular method of birth control. It is always best to practice safe sex as it also reduces your chances of contracting an STD.
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Early Period After Taking Plan B One Step Help
Question posted by Anonymous on 30 Aug 2013
Had my last period July 28, I had sex August 7th.. Condom broke & everything got inside of me. I took plan b one step 30/40 mins after it happened. I got a brownish discharge 9 days later and then it was like a normal period. My expected period was August 25th , but it didn’t come. Was that my period of should i worry because i missed my expected one? I know that plan b makes it come early or later. Did it work? Also i don’t feel any pain or anything as in pregnancy symptoms
GabbyQuinn
Yes, i am also worried.
I had sex on Sunday and we had protected sex but we didnt know the condom broken, so he came in me. I was so mad and my step mom gave me 50 dollars for plan b. I took the plan b the next hour later. The next day blood came down… its that good or bad?
+0LousArk
This should really have been srarted as a new question, not posted as an answer to someone else’s.
If you were ovulating when you had sex then you’ll need one of the other methods of emergency contraception. Either the other emergency pill called Ulipristal Acetate , or to have an IUD fitted by a doctor. Either of those things can be effective if done within 5 days/120 hours of the sex.
There are ways to prevent condoms splitting. Have a search online. Just to save future stress.
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How Effective Is Emergency Contraception
Its important to remember that emergency contraception doesnt always work. It doesnt guarantee that pregnancy will be prevented. The risk of pregnancy depends on the type of EC used, when in your menstrual cycle you had sex, and what kind of birth control you use. Youre more likely to get pregnant around the time when the ovary releases an egg . The pregnancy rate is less than 2% after ulipristal acetate use, 2-2.5% with levonorgestrel method , and 0-2% after copper IUD insertion.
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What You Might Experience
The morning-after pill can cause your next period to be:
- A few days to a week early.
- A few days to a week late.
- Heavier than normal.
- Longer than normal.
- More or less painful than usual.
Because of the hormones in these pills, you might also notice spotting between periods, particularly right after taking emergency contraceptive. If you experience any of these symptoms, dont worry your period should return to normal by your next menstrual cycle. If at least a week passes, however, and you still dont get your period as expected, take a pregnancy test to make sure the morning-after pill worked.
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Bleeding After Plan B Pill Am I Pregnant
Plan B One-Step has been known to cause cramping and bleeding when taken by a woman who wants to prevent against getting pregnant. If planning to use it, you should understand that Plan B is an extremely high dosage birth control pill, and you should in no form or shape take it casually as you are only supposed to take in the event of an emergency such as when a condom breaks when having sex, or if you had unprotected safe.
Bleeding after Plan B should not be taken to mean that you are pregnant. Even though it is normal for a woman to bleed when implantation has taken place, there is a need to understand that unexpected bleeding is one of the side effects associated with taking Plan B. As such, you should not be worried if you notice bleeding after Plan B. As such, the best thing for you to do would be waiting until your next period is due. Note that the period could come late by up to seven days, depending on when you took the pill. If the period does not come around, ensure you take a pregnancy test to confirm the results, and then get started on a birth control method.
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Could I Be Pregnant
Some spotting after using Plan B is harmless. It shouldnt be taken as a sure sign that youre not pregnant, though.
Implantation spotting can happen when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus. This is perfectly normal in early pregnancy, usually occurring about 10 to 14 days after conception.
Youll only know that youre not pregnant when you get your period or have a negative pregnancy test.
In addition to spotting and menstrual changes, other potential side effects from Plan B may include:
- breast tenderness
If they happen at all, these side effects should only last a few days and you probably wont have all of them.
Emergency contraceptive pills are not associated with serious or long-term side effects. Plan B wont affect your ability to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy in the future.
Remember, your period may be late even if youre not pregnant.
You dont have to do anything for spotting, getting your period early, or a heavier-than-normal period. When you take Plan B, keep some menstrual products on hand just in case.
Your cycle should return to normal the following month.
How Effective Is Levonorgestrel
If you take the pill within 72 hours after youve had unprotected sex, levonorgestrel can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 87% if taken as directed. If you take Plan B One-Step within 24 hours, it is much more effective.
But you should know that Plan B One-Step is not as effective as regular contraception. So dont take it as a form of birth control. And, it does not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases. Think of it as a backup not for routine use. Thats why its called Plan B. Get more information on emergency contraception and its effectiveness.
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How Will The Morning After Pill Affect My Period
Posted by south ave& filed under Birth Control.
For women who have recently had birth control fail them, or may have forgotten it altogether, the morning after pill can be a life saver. Emergency contraception, such as Plan B or ella, should never be relied on as your main form of birth control, but can be extraordinarily helpful if something happens and you end up needing to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. It is important to note that the morning after pill is NOT the same as an abortion pill. Emergency contraception prevents pregnancy, while abortion terminates an existing pregnancy.
Taking the morning after pill can be a little scary if you dont know what to expect. Many women wonder how the pill will affect their next period, especially because theyre eager to get it and confirm theyre not pregnant. Lets take a look at what your first period after emergency contraception will look like.
Can The Morning After Pill Delay Your Period
So you want to know how late can a period be without being pregnant. But can the emergency birth control pill delay your period? Yes.
The three potential effects of the pill on your period are:
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Bleeding After Morning After Pill: Week Later
Are you experiencing heavy bleeding after Plan B? Heavier or lighter bleeding after plan B, as weve already mentioned, is a common side effect of the morning after pill. It is normal to bleed irregularly after plan B, this bleeding should remit before your next period.
But remember, if you dont bleed within three weeks of taking Plan B, we recommend taking a pregnancy test.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Bleeding a Week After Plan B, is That my Period?, we recommend you visit our Drugs & supplements category.
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Are There Frequent Fluctuations In My Weight
If you have trouble maintaining a consistent weight, that could be why you get yourperiod 2 weeks early. As well as that, weight fluctuations can cause other irregularities in your cycle, like making your period last longer or coming late.
Losing a lot of weight suddenly is most associated with these irregularities, though. When you dont weigh enough, your body goes into starvation mode and stops performing all unnecessary functions. This is a self-preservation tactic, as your body has to save energy for things like breathing.
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What Makes This Different From Plan B
Its normal to experience light bleeding, or spotting, after taking Plan B. Its usually nothing to worry about if it happens to you.
Spotting is a side effect of the extra hormones that the EC pill releases inside your body. But it can also be a sign of early pregnancy, so try to keep track of your menstrual cycle and take a pregnancy test if you feel unsure.
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How Do You Know If Plan B Worked
Doctors say that you dont need any tests or procedures after using emergency contraception. However, if you havent gotten your period within a week of when it should come or expect it to come, you should have a pregnancy test. Dont hesitate to talk to your doctor for some good, solid medical advice.
When you take it as directed, your emergency contraception pill should be safe and effective. The California State Board of Pharmacy says that emergency contraception could reduce your risk of getting pregnant by up to 89%. Note that this number is only an estimate, and it rides upon the fact that you take it on time, as soon as possible after having unprotected sex.
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Names Of Ec You Should Be Familiar With: