-
Plan B is the brand name for a prescription medication containing levonorgestrel. Women use the Plan B morning after pill as a form of emergency contraception or to prevent pregnancy after sex.
Function
Plan B works by preventing sperm from reaching the egg cell inside of your body. The drug also has the ability to prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in your urterine lining, which also stops pregnancy.
Dosage
The Plan B morning after pill comes in a package that contains two 0.75 mg levonorgesterol, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Time Frame
In order for the Plan B morning after pill to be effective, it is necessary to take the first tablet within 72 hours of sexual activity. The second tablet is then taken twelve hours after the first, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Features
Women over the age of 17 are able to purchase Plan B without a doctor's prescription, simply by visiting a pharmacy. Women ages 17 and younger must obtain a physician's prescription for the drug.
Side Effects
The most common side effects of the Plan B morning after pill occur in as many as 23 percent of women and include nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches, changes in menstrual bleeding, dizziness, breast tenderness, vomiting and diarrhea, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Source:
Mayo Clinic: Morning-After Pill
U.S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed: PLAN B (levonorgestrel) tablet
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC