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ENTITY reports on plan b effectiveness

So, you forgot to take your birth control or the condom slipped off during sex. Now what?

This is the perfect time to start thinking about Plan B. But you probably have a million questions running through your mind about the morning after pill.

Most importantly, you’re probably wondering about Plan B’s effectiveness.

Luckily, we’re here to answer all of your questions.

What are the chances of getting pregnant after unprotected sex?

ENTITY reports on plan b effectiveness

We’re going to take it back to your high school sex ed class.

Sperm are cells that are made in the testicles. Sperm mixes with other fluids to make semen. Semen is what comes out of the penis after ejaculation.

Eggs live in ovaries. One mature egg leaves the ovary during your menstrual cycle and travels through the fallopian tubes towards your uterus. This is called ovulation. The egg stays in the fallopian tubes for 12 to 24 hours. When sperm gets into the vagina, they swim into the fallopian tubes and have six days to find an egg before they die.

When a sperm and an egg join, it’s called fertilization. They form a zygote, which travels to the uterus for implantation, which is when pregnancy begins.

The zygote continues to mature, and nine months later, a little baby is born.

What is Plan B?

Plan B is an emergency contraceptive that is meant to be taken after unprotected sex. Unknown to many, there are multiple types of emergency contraceptive pills.

A lot of morning after pills include levonorgestrel, which is a synthetic progestin similar to the hormone progesterone. This progesterone makes the body regulate the menstrual cycle. Levonorgestrel morning after pills are the Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, Take Action, My Way and AfterPill. These can be bought without a prescription. These work up to five days after having unprotected sex but are more effective during the first three days. These pills are 95 percent effective when taken 24 hours after unprotected sex and still 89 percent effective 72 hours after.

Plan B One-Step usually costs around $40-$50 at your local drugstore or pharmacy. Next Choice One Dose, Take Action and My Way cost around $35-$45 and AfterPill can be bought online for $25. Before you start emptying your pockets for the more expensive pill, remember that they all work the same. No brand is more effective than another.

Another form of Plan B is ella, which contains ulipristal acetate and requires a prescription. The ella morning after pill doesn’t become less effective with time. It’s still 89 percent effective when used five days after unprotected sex. Ella costs around $50 or more.

But with either type of contraceptive, you can also call your local Planned Parenthood and ask them if they can help you find a pill that fits your budget.

How does Plan B work?

ENTITY reports on plan b effectiveness

Ultimately, the morning after pill may prevent or delay ovulation. It can also interfere with the fertilization of an egg. This is all dependent on where you are in your cycle.

Most importantly, Plan B is not an abortion pill. If the egg and sperm have already reached the uterus, it can’t terminate a pregnancy no matter how early it is.

What are some side effects of Plan B?

Side effects of the morning after pill include dizziness, lightheadedness, upset stomach and tender breasts. It also might affect your period, so it could come a little sooner or later than usual. But if your period is more than a week late, you should take a pregnancy test.

If you throw up within two hours of taking the pill, the pill won’t work and you’ll need to take it again.

What are some reviews of the pill?

ENTITY reports on plan b effectiveness

If you can’t take it from us, take it from users who have taken the pill.

One Plan B user wrote, “So I’m here like many of you to sing the praises of this product. I’m 32 5’9″ and a good 270. Me and my boyfriend got a bit carried away for our first time together and long story short, no protection was used. I was super freaked out as I didn’t want to have a baby with a guy I haven’t been with six months yet. When I got home and looked at my period tracker I realized that I was smack in the middle of my high fertility time. I got to Walgreen’s and took this pill within 12 hours of intercourse (and after a long sleepless night worrying). I didn’t have the worst side effects but I did have cramps, nausea, extreme breast tenderness and major bloating and fatigue for a week or so. I’m having a period right now so I’m happy!”

But there is also a very small chance of the pill not working.

A Plan B user who didn’t have such luck with the pill wrote, “I took plan b within 24 hours of having unprotected sex. It did not work. Being a part of the other 5 percent that it does not work for is truly devastating. So be careful. Don’t always rely on plan b to work. This was my first time taking it without any form of back up birth control aka pill, shot, etc. It is not 100 percent effective. Please use other forms of birth control to protect yourself from ending up in a crap situation like myself. The worst fifty USD I ever spent. I should have just thrown it out of a window or set it on fire instead. Good luck.”

But if you’re worried about the pill not working, there are other alternatives.

What are some other forms of emergency contraceptives?

A copper IUD lowers your chance of getting pregnant by 99.9 percent if you get it implanted within five days of having unprotected sex. An IUD is also a super effective form of birth control for up to 12 years.

To get an IUD, make an appointment with your doctor, local family planning clinic or Planned Parenthood center to have it put in. They insert the IUD into your uterus and you’re good to go. The IUD will mess with how the sperm moves, keeping it from swimming to your fallopian tubes.

Side effects include minor pain (though pain can vary depending on the person), cramping, spotting, heavier periods and worse menstrual cramps, but it is more effective than an emergency contraceptive pill.

When should you take Plan B?

ENTITY reports on plan b effectiveness

You may be wondering under what circumstances it’s necessary to take Plan B.

Well, you should take Plan B if:

  • you have unprotected sex
  • the condom came off or broke (especially if you didn’t notice until after ejaculation)
  • your diaphragm slipped out of place
  • you missed two or three birth control pills in a row (on your active weeks, not placebo week)
  • you used the “pull out” method and your partner didn’t pull out in time

Plan B’s effectiveness isn’t affected by alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. And it’s only effective when used after having unprotected sex. It’s not going to work if you have unprotected sex later that day.

Things to remember

Plan B is not an abortion pill. It is most effective when used within 24 hours of having unprotected sex, and it shouldn’t be used regularly. Plan B should only be used when your other forms of contraception, such as birth control or condoms, fail. You shouldn’t be consistently having unprotected sex just to use Plan B as a backup every time. It’s an emergency contraceptive pill for a reason.

But we understand that accidents happen, and, fortunately, Plan B exists.

Edited by Kayla Caldwell
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