Plan B is an emergency contraception medication you can take within 72 hours after engaging in unprotected sexual activity, to delay or stop egg release from your ovary – not an abortion!

Women using Plan B should be aware that it may not be as effective in those near ovulation or with higher BMI, according to Glasier. She suggests using an IUD instead.

Weight Gain

Recently, there has been much discussion regarding whether Plan B works for fat people. Even though original research used only samples from women who were healthy weights, size does play an impactful factor when it comes to how effective morning-after pills can be.

Issues surrounding weight and BMI, the body mass index, are closely intertwined. People with higher BMI appear to have reduced levonorgestrel levels in their bloodstream, which reduces its effectiveness at preventing ovulation. Furthermore, similar results seem to apply when taking another type of emergency contraceptive pill known as Ulipristal that requires medical prescription compared with Plan B which contains levonorgestrel; both may offer increased protection.

Do not panic if you are overweight or have a higher BMI and plan to use Plan B. The FDA has not altered either its labeling or prescription recommendations due to insufficient evidence demonstrating how your weight or BMI affects its effectiveness.

If you decide to take birth control pills, it is crucial that you follow all instructions exactly, particularly regarding timing. Remember that they only work if taken within three days after unprotected sexual contact; any longer than this and your risk of pregnancy increases dramatically.

Plan B’s manufacturer claims that seven out of eight people who could become pregnant do not end up getting pregnant when taking it correctly. If you are concerned about its efficacy for you, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist – they may offer other more reliable birth control solutions as well.

Nausea

Plan B’s nausea can be an uncomfortable side effect that affects almost everyone who takes it, though its duration typically doesn’t last too long and may be reduced with food or home remedies such as ginger tea or acetaminophen painkillers. While high levels of progestin in the pill is usually to blame for nausea, other causes could exist as well – if your symptoms continue after taking your morning-after pill contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice.

Importantly, nausea may not arise when using non-hormonal emergency contraception such as Ella which does not contain levonorgestrel. However, taking combined pills that contain both estrogen and progestin increases your likelihood of experiencing nausea due to sudden fluctuations in hormone levels, but this should pass as your body adjusts to taking medicine.

People should take their morning-after pills exactly as directed on the packaging and no sooner than 72 hours post unprotected sex, to maximize efficacy and prevent vomiting. Anytime before 72 hours has passed after taking one of these medications is unacceptable and should contact their physician immediately if this occurs within two hours after taking a pill.

New research suggests that emergency contraceptives (EC) containing levonorgestrel may become less effective for individuals with higher body mass index (BMI). According to researchers, this could be caused by women producing more of a hormone which affects ovarian activity, interfering with its effectiveness when combined with levonorgestrel in an emergency contraceptive pill. They note further studies are required to verify this finding but emphasize it is still important for people of all weights or BMI to have access to birth control methods should regular pills fail or missed doses are missed when used together with backup methods of contraception such as condoms and backup methods of contraception just in case these fail or need replacement contraception pills fail due to issues caused by production of excess hormones from increased ovarian activity that interferes with its effectiveness and reduce its efficacy as intended by emergency contraceptives containing levonorgestrel.

Pain in the Lower Abdomen

Plan B is an over-the-counter medication that may lower a woman’s chance of pregnancy after unprotected sexual contact, according to Planned Parenthood. The pill contains hormones which work by stopping ovulation and thus prevent pregnancy, according to their website. Unfortunately, Plan B may cause side effects like pelvic pain or irregular menstrual cycles – depending on its severity these may require medical advice for treatment.

Plan B’s most prevalent side effect is nausea, which typically lasts 1-2 days after taking the pill. If this becomes severe, women should take anti-nausea medication or consume something to stay hydrated and prevent dehydration. Other possible Plan B side effects may include headache and lower abdominal pain. In such instances, acetaminophen or another painkiller should be used to ease discomfort.

Women should immediately visit their physician if they experience any serious side effects from taking Plan B, particularly if their period is more than a week late or they experience heavier-than-usual bleeding during her next period – these signs could indicate either that it’s not working as intended or that there has been miscarriage.

Women taking the Plan B pill may in rare instances experience an ectopic pregnancy. This occurs when fertilized eggs implant in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. Since ectopic pregnancies can be life-threatening, any woman experiencing severe stomach or pelvic pain three to five weeks post-Plan B should seek emergency medical assistance immediately.

Plan B doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS; women at risk should always use a condom when engaging in sexual activity. Furthermore, overweight women shouldn’t take Plan B pills as the morning-after pill begins losing effectiveness after weight reached 165 pounds; alternative forms of contraception like copper-T IUDs should be sought instead.

Vaginal Bleeding

Plan B may cause occasional spotting between periods; this is not usually an adverse reaction. Some users also may experience their period coming sooner or later than expected after taking this morning-after pill, and light to moderate bleeding is normal after using Plan B according to a gynecologist who spoke to SELF about this matter. If your period becomes heavier than usual it could indicate something is amiss and should be further evaluated by your healthcare provider.

If this concerns you, try switching to a progestin-only pill like Ulipristal (Ella), which has a longer window of effectiveness than Levonorgestrel – up to five days post unprotected sex! However, progestin-only pills might disrupt your menstrual cycle and could result in irregular periods; allow up to one month for your body to adjust itself before trying something different again.

After taking Plan B, any signs of bleeding could actually be the result of implantation bleeding, which occurs when fertilized eggs implant in your uterus lining. If this concerns you, wait until the spotting stops before taking a pregnancy test to verify whether you’re expecting.

People may worry that Plan B won’t work as effectively for them because they are overweight; however, no scientific evidence supports this belief; you can still use the medication if you weigh over 155 pounds or have a BMI over 30, as long as you are not trying to conceive and don’t desire vaginal birth.