Should You Take A Pregnancy Test After Plan B
The short answer about whether you should take a pregnancy test or not after taking Plan B is, It depends.
No matter what, a pregnancy test will not detect a pregnancy until a minimum of ten days after conception, so wait at least that amount of time. Its best to wait no less than two weeks after conception to reduce your risk of a false-negative test result.
If your next period after taking Plan B is normal, and you dont have pregnancy symptoms, you dont need to take a pregnancy test.
However, you should take a pregnancy test after Plan B if:
- You miss your next period.
If you dont get your next period, take a pregnancy test. Its common for your next period to be a few days early or late after taking Plan B. Keep in mind that bleeding within a few days of taking Plan B is not a period, so dont count it as one.
Also, dont count spotting as a regular period. Sometimes, women experience implantation bleeding when they are pregnant and think its a light period. This misunderstanding can delay a pregnancy diagnosis.
- Youre experiencing pregnancy symptoms.
Plan B side effects can mimic pregnancy symptoms when you arent pregnant. But if you have pregnancy symptoms and suspect you might be pregnant despite getting a period, go ahead and take a pregnancy test.
- You need peace of mind.
Sometimes, you simply need a little peace of mind. And thats a valid reason to take a pregnancy test!
How Effective Is The Morning
When youre thinking about how effective the morning-after pill is at preventing pregnancy, its important to factor in time. This is key to the medications effectiveness. All forms of the emergency contraception pill are more effective the sooner you take it. You don’t need to wait to take these medications until the next day despite the name morning-after pill.
There are certain time frames for each type of morning-after pill. The progestin-only option should be taken within the first 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse. The ulipristal and combined options can be taken up to 120 hours after sex.
Each day you wait outside of these recommended windows of time makes the medication less effective.
What Is Plan B And How Does It Work
First, some background. Plan B works by interfering with ovulation so fertilization can’t occur, thereby preventing pregnancy. It contains progestin, a synthetic form of the sex hormone progesterone, and should be taken within three days of unprotected sex. You can buy it over the counter, and it sometimes causes side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, and irregular bleeding. Worth noting: Depending on what morning-after pill you take, if you are over a certain BMI, there’s a chance it may not be as effective, though the FDA says evidence for this is limited.
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How Effective Is Plan B
Plan B is a very effective emergency contraception pill. It works well to prevent pregnancy within three days of an unprotected sex act, but is most effective when taken within 24 hours of the incident, says Madeline Sutton, OB-GYN, a medical epidemiologist and former Commissioned Corps Officer at the CDC. A morning-after pill like Plan B can prevent pregnancy 75% to 89% of the time if you take it within three days of unprotected sex.
Even though theres no limit to how many times you can take Plan B, taking more than one dose wont make it more effective. If you have unprotected sex again the day after taking Plan B, then you should take another dose. Take one pill for every act of unprotected sex, but remember that Plan B is not a substitute for regular birth control. Talk to your healthcare provider about the most appropriate form of birth control for you.
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.
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Do I Need Emergency Contraception
If you are not using any type of birth control and have had unprotected intercourse, you need emergency contraception. Further recommendations for specific concerns are addressed below.
Emergency Contraceptive Pills are available without a prescription to anyone in the SHCC Pharmacy as well as external retail pharmacies. ECPs are available to students for $10 in the SHCC Pharmacy. If you use emergency contraception and do not have a period within 3 weeks after taking it, you need to take a pregnancy test.
If you are on birth control but feel you have used it incorrectly, please contact SHCC Pharmacy staff or the Womens Health Clinic directly to discuss whether or not you need emergency contraception. Below is some information on troubleshooting birth control usage. Additional information may be found in the following questions and answers.
Can Plan B Harm You When Your Body
The most common side effects of taking Plan B are nausea, vomiting, and irregular bleeding, the doctor says. loazon. So dont panic if you feel uncomfortable. You just have to be vigilant if you have to throw up, just in case. About one in five women experience nausea and half of them vomit, the doctor says.
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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.
Do Other Medications Affect How The Morning After Pill Works
While its safe to also take birth control pills when you take the morning after pill, other medications could potentially reduce its effectiveness. Some of these supplements and prescriptions include:
- Certain HIV/AIDS medications.
Ask a pharmacist or call your medical provider if youre not sure whether the medications youre taking could make your morning after pill less effective.
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You Have More Unprotected Sex After You Take Ec
Sometimes people think that after a dose of EC, they a sexual get-out-of-jail-free card, Dr. White explains. Thats not true. Ovulation is just delayed, not stopped, so further acts of unprotected sex put you in the line of fire, she says.
Once more, with feeling: Everyone makes mistakes. If you need emergency contraception, theres no reason to feel down on yourself. It only becomes somewhat concerning if it becomes a habit, because it means there might be a better birth control option out there for you. If you find yourself needing morning-after contraception on several occasions, its not dangerous, but we can do better, Dr. Minkin says. If youre sick of taking birth control pills, we can get you an IUD, the Nexplanon implant, or something elsethere are lots of options, and you dont have to rely on morning-after contraception.
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What To Expect After Using Plan B
Plan B has shown no long-term consequences or issues, and its safe for almost every woman to take, even if youve been taking another birth control pill. In the days and weeks after taking Plan B, you may experience mild to moderate side effects. For some women, the side effects may be more severe than for others. Some women experience no problems at all.
After the initial wave of side effects, you may experience changes in your period for a cycle or two. If these changes dont resolve, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss what other issues might be occurring.
Plan B is highly effective if taken properly. However, it is only effective as an emergency contraceptive. It shouldnt be used as routine birth control. It isnt as effective as other forms of birth control, including birth control pills, intrauterine devices , or even condoms.
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How Does The Morning
The morning-after pill doesnt reverse pregnancy. Instead, it’s a type of emergency birth control that prevents pregnancy. The main way the morning-after pill works is by preventing ovulation. Ovulation is a part of your normal reproductive cycle. This is the phase when your ovaries release an egg that can then be fertilized by sperm and begin the fetal development process. If you dont ovulate, you can’t get pregnant.
Can You Take Plan B While On Birth Control
There are several methods of contraception, but none is 100% effective. Still, you can take emergency contraception when you actually notice things have gone wrong. Taking Plan B is a great choice when you want to avoid unwanted pregnancy after having unprotected sex or other methods of protection fail. It works because the hormones in this pill are a lot higher than what you have in your regular oral contraceptives. The downside is that these pills can make you feel worse, and some of the most common side effects are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, and fatigue.
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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.
Other Causes Of Bleeding
In the weeks after taking Plan B, light spotting between periods or a heavier flow are not typically a cause for concern. However, if these issues do not go away within a month or so, something other than Plan B may be responsible.
Heavy bleeding and intense pain can signal a serious underlying condition, such as endometriosis. Also, heavy bleeding can indicate an early miscarriage.
A healthcare provider should assess all heavy bleeding. If a persons periods are irregular and heavy, taking additional hormonal contraceptives can help. If the bleeding results from pregnancy loss, the doctor may recommend surgery to remove remaining tissue.
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How To Know If Plan B Worked
After taking Plan B, its tempting to try and guess whats happening in your body based on how you feel, but unfortunately you wont be able to tell if it worked or not right away.
Some of the earliest signs of pregnancy are the ones linked to hormonal changes in your body, like breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue, or moodiness. But Plan B can cause similar symptoms!12 If youve taken Plan B, there are no symptoms that will be a sure sign of whether it worked. The only way to know is to wait until your next period or to take a pregnancy test. If youre feeling anxious, you can take some pregnancy tests as early as six days before your expected period date.
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:
It’s important to note that plan B works to prevent fertilization, it will not terminate a pregnancy if the egg has already implanted.
Since levonorgestrel affects ovulation and the uterine lining to prevent pregnancy, taking Plan B could alter the timing, length, and flow of your next period.
“Emergency contraceptives that contain levonorgestrel are most effective if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex,” says Kakani. Plan B is just one type of emergency contraceptive that contains levonorgestrel. Others brands include:
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Waiting Games: How Long Can The Morning After Pill Delay Your Period
If youre staring at the clock waiting for your period to show up, we feel you.
Even though EC can cause your period to come at any time from a week early to a week late, everyones different. Its possible that it can take even longer for your flow to return. But after about 2 weeks, the chance youre actually pregnant goes up.
Whats to blame for the delay? That extra-strong dose of levonorgestrel . Though some hormonal birth control pills also contain levonorgestrel to prevent pregnancy, the morning after pill has it in much higher quantities. This can do a number on your menstrual cycle, including delaying your period.
What Medicines Affect How Well Plan B Works
These medicines or supplements can make Plan B and other levonorgestrel morning-after pills not work as well:
The antibiotic Rifampin
The antifungal Griseofulvin
Certain HIV medicines
Certain anti-seizure medicines
The herb St. Johns Wort
You can ask a nurse, doctor, or pharmacist about any medications youre taking, and they can help you figure out if Plan B is a good option for you.
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When To Use Plan B Or Other Emergency Contraception
Women are often confused when it comes to taking emergency contraception, especially when they are also taking the regular pill. They often inquire, “Can you take Plan B while on birth control?” You already know that you can take EC when taking the pill, but there is no need to do that if you have not missed any of your regular contraceptive pills.
You may still want to take emergency contraception to ensure you do not have to deal with unwanted pregnancy after sex. There are different reasons why women use emergency contraception. For instance, they do it when:
- The condom breaks during sex.
- They start their birth control pills a week late.
- They have unprotected sex.
- They have sex without using birth control.
- They end up having sex when they were not expecting it.
- If you really think you need emergency contraception, you should take it immediately after having unprotected sex or else they will not be as effective as they should be.
Side Effects Of Emergency Contraception Pills
The most common side effect is nausea, with or without vomiting. There are ways to decrease this if you become nauseous easily. Take the pill with food. You may elect to take prescription or over-the-counter anti-nausea medications about 30 minutes prior to the first dose of an emergency contraception pill.
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What If My Periods 2 Weeks Late After Plan B
Plan B is 95 percent effective if taken within a day after sex and 88 percent if taken between 3 days after. But theres always a slim chance it wont work.
If you take Plan B and your period is over a week late, theres a slight chance that you might be pregnant. Take a pregnancy test to play it safe.
If its been 2 weeks, your pregnancy odds are even greater and you should likewise take a test. If your pregnancy test is positive, visit a doctor or midwife to confirm your result and walk you through your options.
If youre not sure what stage of your cycle youre at or you have irregular periods, Planned Parenthood recommends waiting 3 weeks after taking Plan B before you take a pregnancy test.
Pregnancy tests measure the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin , which the body starts to produce a few days after conception. So if you take a test too early, it could show a false-negative result.
If your period is still MIA 2 months after taking Plan B, you could be pregnant. Its unlikely its the EC still messing with your cycle.
Take a pregnancy test and visit a doctor or midwife ASAP to know for sure.
Other things that can delay your period include:
- chronic illness