What is Plan B?
Plan B is a brand of emergency contraception (EC) method that prevents a woman from getting pregnant AFTER having unprotected sex, contraceptive failure (e.g. the condom broke/slipped off or you forgot to take your birth control pill), or sexual assault. It’s a back-up plan when your first plan fails. Plan B and emergency contraception are also known as the “morning after pill.”
When is the best time to take EC?
Emergency contraception works the best if taken right away. It is most effective if taken within 72 hours after the incident. Under these circumstances EC reduces the risk of pregnancy by 89%. If taken up to 5 days after, it can still be effective, however the percentage decreases the longer you wait.
How does EC work?
EC basically prevents pregnancy from happening in a similar way to the Pill. It can stop a female from ovulating or it can stop the egg from being fertilized by the sperm. If the egg is already fertilized it can stop it from implanting in the uterus. Plan B is a brand of hormone pills which are safe and contain Levonorgestrel and Progestin, the same hormones found in many birth control pills.
How do you take EC?
EC is either two pills taken either 12 hours apart or at the same time, or now it is available as just one pill. EC has a larger dose of hormones than one birth control pill.
Randomly taking multiple birth control pills is not the same, therefore it is not recommended.
Where can you get it?
If you are under the age of 17 you will need a prescription from your doctor. However, if you are 17 or older you can purchase Plan B at your local pharmacy without a prescription—you just need to show an ID. And what’s great is that both guys and girls can purchase Plan B at a drug store either on their own or together. We also offer it right here at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center for free. Females can make an appointment or come for a walk-in and say it’s for EC.
Some other things to know…