Plan B is not intended for regular use. Here’s why…
It is not reliable for preventing pregnancy-
According to the manufacturer, Plan B is claimed to be 25% to 95% effective depending on how soon you take it after having sex. That’s a pretty wide range of failure with no guarantees.
Plan B is not effective if you have sex again after taking it-
Plan B is a single dose medication. You should never give yourself additional doses.
It contains high levels of hormones that can cause many side effects, including the following:
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Breast tenderness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Irregular menstrual bleeding
- Painful menstruation
- Vaginal discharge
If you have symptoms that persist for more than 48 hours or are severe, see your healthcare professional.
If you have used Plan B and experience any of the following side effects, consult with a doctor immediately:
- Itching and a rash
- Heavy vaginal bleeding
- Any effects that persist or worsen
- Sudden or unusual cramps or pain in the stomach or belly
- If your period does not come when it is expected (but this can be hard to determine because Plan B can make you bleed irregularly)
It can make your cycle irregular
This makes it hard to track your period and makes it harder to recognize other underlying health problems. It can also make detecting and dating a pregnancy harder for health care professionals.
Studies show it can increase your risk for ectopic pregnancy*
Ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo implants in the wrong place and it is considered a medical emergency for the mother. The progesterone in EC (Emergency Contraception=EC) is known to decrease how efficiently the egg and the sperm move through the tube, so if you do use Plan B please make sure to continue to test for pregnancy and if you have a positive pregnancy test seek medical care ASAP.
It offers no protection against STI’s (Sexually Transmitted Infection) or STD’s (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Unplanned pregnancy is not your only risk to consider when evaluating your sexual health decisions. Many STI’s can have long term, life-altering consequences, including but not limited to:, cancer, infertility, and spreading the infection to others. Some of these STI’s are not curable such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), so if you get them, you will need ongoing, life-long treatment.
What’s your Plan A?
For questions or to schedule a free appointment, Call Gateway Women’s Care today at (919) 833-0096 in Raleigh; (919) 251-9444 in Durham/Chapel Hill.