Plan B EC - "The Morning After Pill"

• In July 2009, the FDA approved Plan B One-Step to replace Plan B. Plan B One-Step is available at pharmacies without a prescription for men and women age 17 or older. The original Plan B is no longer being sold.

History:

• The FDA approved Plan B (also called the morning after pill) as the first progestin-only emergency contraceptive available in the US on July 28, 1999.

• August 24, 2006: The FDA approved the sale of Plan B OTC to those age 18 and older.
  
  
• November 2006: Barr began shipping nonprescription packages of Plan B to pharmacies across the US.
  
  
• March 23, 2009: the US District Court for the Eastern District of NY ordered the FDA to allow 17-year-olds to buy Plan B OTC under the same conditions that the EC was already available to women 18 and up.
  
  
• April 22, 2009: the FDA announces that 17-year-olds can buy Plan B OTC.
  
  
• On July 13, 2009, the FDA approved the new Plan B One-Step, the first one pill dose EC that is now available OTC to those age 17 and up.
  
  
• For: A Detailed History of Plan B

• How Plan B Works

Morning After Pill Confusion:

Also, you take at least two EC pills when you use Plan B, so there is not just one pill (as the name morning after pill implies). But, many people refer to EC as the morning after pill, so in this article, emergency contraception, EC, and the morning after pill will all refer to Plan B – the two EC pills that can be taken after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy.

As a precaution, those girls under 17 can ask their doctor about getting a prescription for Plan B One-Step ahead of time -- just in case an emergency occurs. This way, these girls will already have the EC prescription to be filled immediately and won't need to wait for a medical appointment.

Note: In general, though, emergency contraception could be initiated up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex, so the morning after pill may still be useful to take (hopefully to decrease your chances of pregnancy) for up to 5 days after unprotected sex.

• Nausea and vomiting – although the risk for this is much lower with progestin-only EC (versus combination EC). Nausea occurs approximately 23% of the time while vomiting happens in approximately 6% of progestin-only EC users. You can use anti-nausea medicine, such as Dramamine or Bonine, one hour before taking EC if you are concerned about being nauseous (though these medications may make you feel drowsy). Many women also find it helpful to take the morning after pill with a full stomach.
  
  
• A woman may experience breast tenderness due to EC
  
  
• Dizziness and/or headaches are also common

• Plan B may change the amount, duration, and/or timing of a female’s next period about 10-15% of the time. This side effect is typically minor, and menstruation will usually occur a few days earlier or later than anticipated.
  
  
• Frequent use of EC may cause periods to become irregular and unpredictable.
  
  
• A woman should inform her healthcare provider that she had taken emergency contraception should she become pregnant following its use, so her doctor can test for the existence of an ectopic pregnancy.

If started within 72 hours of unprotected sex, Plan B reduces the risk of pregnancy by at least 89%. According to the manufacturer, “About 7 out of every 8 women who would have gotten pregnant will not become pregnant. Plan B works even better if taken within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex.” Put another way, only 1 out of 100 women will become pregnant after taking the morning after pill if started within three days.

Plan B EC will not continue to prevent pregnancy during the rest of a woman’s cycle, so additional contraceptive methods should be used.

Plan B Cost:

• One pack of of Plan B One-Step can range from $35-$45

STD Protection:

Read A Quick Recap of EC. Then, test your knowledge by taking our Emergency Contraception Quiz!

_{Source:
Duramed Pharmaceuticals. (2006). Plan B(Levonorgestrel) Tablets, 0.75 mg.}