Preface: I share as much as I can to provide educational information to those who don’t have it. Better to be thorough than not. It may help someone, & that is enough for me.
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So what is Plan B? Plan B is made with a synthetic form of progesterone called levonorgestrel to stop or delay the release of an egg before it has a chance to be fertilized. If ovulation has already occurred, the prevention of pregnancy is not guaranteed. Plan B & other brand emergency contraceptives (EC) — such as My Way, Take Action, Next Choice One Dose — cannot stop a released fertilized egg from implanting (attaching to the uterus/womb), according to studies.
In other words, if you’ve already ovulated by the time you took Plan B, your chances of getting pregnant are about the same as if you hadn’t taken it.
Taking EC also does not interrupt or harm an existing pregnancy. The FDA’s claims on what EC can & may do, makes it confusing but research is clearer about it. EC is not an abortifacient — meaning, it doesn’t abort a pregnancy nor “kill” the fertilized &/or implanted egg. If it did, there wouldn’t be so many reports of people getting pregnant after taking the pill. That’s hogwash propaganda. And it’s also why I feel it’s important to explain & emphasize what Plan B can & cannot do, according to research.
According to studies, emergency contraception is effective 75-89% of the time if taken within a 72-hour period from unprotected vaginal intercourse. The longest suggested is 120 hours (5 days). Please know the further you are from the hour you ended intercourse, the lower the EC’s effectiveness becomes. So if you take it within two hours, for example, you’re about 89% protected. If you take it by the 67th hour, you’re more likely only 75% protected at this point. Other variabilities are on a woman’s cycle & body, i.e. weight/BMI.
If you put its percentage of effectivenesd into stats, it would mean that anywhere from 11 to 25 women out of 100 women who take EC post-unprotected vaginal intercourse will become pregnant anyway. Note that sperm can live in a woman’s uterus for up to five days.
Understanding how to keep track of ovulation, discharge textures & smells, slight changes in body, symptoms throughout one’s cycle, & etc., is important, otherwise EC will continue to be open to failure at such high rates. Knowing these things adds more protection & personal autonomy as to when one is least likely to become pregnant. This doesn’t include women who had no choice in unprotected penetration. The nature of the pill itself is for emergencies, hence no guarantees, only an option to prevent/delay a process. The pill itself isn’t necessarily the only reason for failure; part of the failure lies in the process of how the pill is being taken & when.
In the FDA’s language, it is written, “It is possible that Plan B One-Step may also work ... by preventing attachment (implantation) to the uterus (womb).” KEYWORD: MAY. May does not mean “will”, & as I’ve mentioned, research doesn’t support that claim.
I have taken Plan B a few times throughout my life, & fortunately did not get pregnant during those times. I am now on birth control, which is more effective than EC. It is not recommended to take EC as part of a routine birth control as it is LESS effective than BC. It doesn’t last long, & even taking BC today isn’t recommended if you plan to have unprotected intercourse tomorrow, for example. To add, the amount of hormones you’re adding to your body wouldn’t be healthy to take regularly, so it’s important to only take this during emergencies & consider using birth control. There are different methods & places to get women’s healthcare.
Remember: Plan B is only an emergency option intended to delay or stop ovulation by “tricking” the body into thinking you’re pregnant through use of a synthetic hormone, but it does not stop an existing pregnancy.
I also wanted to mention — after seeing a few posts online & a review of this product — that this should not be taken by anyone that doesn’t ovulate. A review I came across was from a boyfriend who took Plan B & was upset his girlfriend ended up pregnant.
Best of luck if you take this pill. May the odds be in your favor.
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From the manufacturer
Plan B One-Step
Plan B is a backup option that helps prevent pregnancy before it starts. It must be taken within 72-hours after unprotected sex or birth control failure. The sooner you take it, the better it works.
Some women taking Plan B One‑Step may have changes in their period, such as spotting or bleeding before their next period. If your period is more than a week late, it’s possible you might be pregnant. Get a pregnancy test and follow up with your healthcare professional.
If you vomit within 2 hours of taking Plan B, talk to your healthcare professional to find out if you should repeat the dose.
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