You can take Plan B, or the “morning-after pill,” as often as needed to prevent an unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sex. Plan B and other forms of emergency contraception do not have long-term effects if you use them multiple times.
Still, the Office on Women’s Health (OWH) advises not using the morning-after pill as a regular form of birth control. You might consider other options like condoms, hormonal options—like pills, patches, shots, and vagin*l rings—and IUDs if you often use the morning-after pill.
Read on to learn about morning-after pills, how to use them, and short- and long-term side effects.
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One of the most common morning-after pills is Plan B (levonorgestrel), a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone. You can buy Plan B over the counter as tablets. Another over-the-counter option is ella (ulipristal). Those pills delay or prevent the ovary from releasing an egg. As a result, the risk of sperm fertilizing an egg lowers.
A copper or hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) inserted within five days of unprotected sex is another emergency contraception option.
Of note: The morning-after pill is not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy but can prevent more than 95% of pregnancies.
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the morning-after pill as routine birth control. Taking regular birth control pills at the same time daily is much more effective than the morning-after pill at preventing pregnancy.
When To Take a Morning-After Pill
The morning-after pill works best if you take it as soon as possible. Plan B works up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, while ella is effective for 120 hours.
How To Prevent Pregnancy After Unprotected Sex
Side-Effects of Morning-After Pills
You might have unpleasant side effects after taking the morning-after pill,Christine Greves, MD, an OB-GYN at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, toldHealth.
Morning-after pill side effects include:
- Abdominal pain
- Breast pain
- Fatigue
- Feeling dizzy
- Headache
- Nausea
Long-Term Effects
Ella and Plan B generally do not have harmful long-term effects on your body. The morning-after pill does not have any long-term impact on future fertility.
Still, taking the morning-after pill multiple times can affect your hormones,Sherry Ross, MD, an OB-GYN based in Los Angeles and author of "She-ology," toldHealth. For example, you may notice that your next period arrives earlier or later than usual after taking the morning-after pill. Spotting between periods is not unusual.
"[The morning-after pill is] temporarily harmful in that you will have irregular bleeding and may feel emotionally unraveled," said Dr. Ross. "Once you stop taking it, your body will have the opportunity to reset."
What To Do If a Condom Breaks
Taking a morning-after pill after every unprotected sexual encounter is essential for preventing pregnancy. Say you have unprotected sex a few days after taking a morning-after pill. In that case, taking another morning-after pill is the safest option.
"In theory, [the morning-after pill] should cover you until your next period because of the changes it causes in the uterine lining," Bat-Sheva Lerner Maslow, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist based in New Jersey, toldHealth. "I wouldn't necessarily recommend relying on it as a proactive form of birth control."
Consult an OB-GYN about alternate contraceptive options if you have taken the morning-after pill several times,said Dr. Maslow.
A reliable form of contraception may be more helpful than constantly turning to emergency ones, added Dr. Maslow. For example, long-term contraception such as an IUD can make forgetfulness a non-issue if you often forget to take birth control pills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I take plan B just in case if I'm on birth control?
You do not need to use Plan B or another form of emergency contraception if you use birth control. Taking birth control pills at the same time daily helps protects you from pregnancy.
You do not need to use Plan B if you have unprotected sex during your placebo pill week. Birth control pills still work during that time.
Do not take other birth control pills that contain progesterone for at least five days after using ella, said Dr. Greves. Other forms of progesterone may interfere with the ella's effectiveness.
How do you know if you should use Plan B?
You can take a morning-after pill if you have unprotected sex and want to prevent pregnancy.
You might consider the morning-after pill if:
- A condom breaks
- A diaphragm becomes misplaced
- You do not use birth control correctly (e.g., you forget to take your birth control at the same time every day)
- You do not use other types of birth control
Emergency contraception is an option after sexual assault or rape.
What makes Plan B less effective?
The morning-after pill is more than 95% effective at preventing pregnancy. Still, some factors may decrease the pill's effectiveness:
Factors that make the morning-after pill less effective include:
- Certain medications: Rifampin, an antibiotic, and griseofulvin, an antifungal, may affect how well the morning-after pill works. Consult a healthcare provider if you take anti-seizure and HIV medicines or use the herb St. John's wort.
- Timing:The morning-after pill becomes less effective the longer you wait. Consider ella if it has been more than three days since having unprotected sex. The morning-after pill will not work after you start ovulating.
- Weight:Some evidence suggests that the morning-after pill may be less effective in people with a higher body mass index (BMI) than others. Consult a healthcare provider if you are overweight or have obesity and need an emergency contraceptive. A copper or hormonal IUD placed within five days of unprotected sex helps prevent pregnancy, regardless of weight.
You may notice fatigue, nausea, and spotting between menstrual periods after taking a morning-after pill. Taking Plan B or another type of morning-after pill multiple times likely will not cause any long-term harm.
Still, you might consider long-term forms of birth control if you often take the morning-after pill. Other types of birth control include condoms, hormonal options—like pills, patches, shots, and vagin*l rings—and IUDs. Consult a healthcare provider about the best option for you.
