Plan B Birth Control

Plan B birth control is not a form of birth control in the traditional sense. Instead of taking it before conception for prevention of pregnancy, it is taken after an unprotected sexual encounter. Whether the encounter happened due to poor planning or contraception failure, it is important to use a form of emergency contraception (EC) if you do not wish to become pregnant.

Plan B is one of the most widely recognized form of EC. Because unprotected sex can occur anytime, and EC must be used within a certain amount of time to be effective, it is recommended to visit your healthcare provider and have a prescription on hand.

Plan B works best when taken between 24 and 72 hours after the sexual encounter occurred. Effectiveness of the pills goes down after 24 hours and continues to drop until it becomes essentially ineffective.

Plan B is a high dose of hormones. Levonorgestrel is the only hormone in Plan B; estrogen is not present in this form of emergency contraception. Pregnancy and conception can be prevented in two ways with Plan B.

• Plan B stops the release of an egg from the ovary or stops sperm from combining with the egg.
• Plan B stops an egg from attaching to the uterus.

The first pill should be taken as soon as possible. Take the second pill in your pack 12 hours after the first dose.

Plan B birth control is up to 89 percent effective when used correctly. However, there is some information that everyone who uses Plan B birth control should keep in mind.

• It does not prevent HIV/AIDS, or any other sexually transmitted disease.
• It should not be used as a regular form of birth control.
• Do not take if you are allergic to any ingredients.
• Your next period may be shorter/longer, lighter/heavier, or earlier/later than usual.
• If your period is more than a week late, take a pregnancy test. It is possible you may be pregnant.

Be sure you do not confuse Plan B with the pill known as RU-486, the “abortion” pill. Plan B does not affect an existing pregnancy, nor will it terminate pregnancy.

Side effects are common with any prescription medication. Those taking Plan B most frequently get the following symptoms:

• Nausea/vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Breast tenderness

If you throw up within 60 minutes of taking a Plan B pill, call your physician to see if you should take a second dose. The first may have come up with your vomit.

The laws regarding dispensing of Plan B vary from state to state. Most states require a prescription from a doctor or healthcare provider. Some states allow a visit to a pharmacist in order to get the pill; they include Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico, New Hampshire, and Washington. Recently added to this list is Iowa, where persons over 18 can get the pill without a doctor’s prescription.

Because laws can change quickly, call your healthcare provider or pharmacist to check your state’s policy and ensure that the pharmacy stocks Plan B. You also may want to call your insurance company to see if Plan B is covered by your plan.

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