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If a woman has a pregnancy risk and is using Plan B®:

The first dose should be taken as soon as possible, within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex.
The second dose should be taken 12 hours later.

Studies have shown that both doses of Plan B® can be taken at the same time and it will work just as well as taking them separately. This may be a better option for people who think they might forget to take the second dose of Plan B®.

If a woman thinks she'll forget to take her second dose of Plan B, she can take both doses at the same time.

Many brands of daily birth control pills can be used for emergency contraception. If a woman is taking daily birth control pills, she can ask her doctor or see the chart below for instructions on how to use regular birth control pills for EC. When used as EC, higher doses of regular birth control are about 75% effective, which is somewhat less effective than taking Plan B®. A doctor or health care provider can give information about which method may be best.

Any form of emergency contraception that is taken by mouth may cause side effects like nausea (feeling like you might throw up) and vomiting. Using daily birth control pills as EC tends to cause more nausea and vomiting than Plan B®. If there is a concern that nausea or vomiting may happen after taking EC, taking an over-the-counter medicine for motion sickness (like Dramamine®) an hour before taking the EC may reduce these side effects.

If a woman has a pregnancy risk and is using regular birth control pills as EC:

She should find the brand of birth control she uses on the table below.
She should take the first dose recommended in the chart.
After 12 hours, she should take the second dose recommended in the chart.

No matter which birth control pills a woman is using as EC, the second dose will be the same as the first.

Brand	First dose (immediately)	Second dose (12 hours later)
Alesse	5 pink pills	5 pink pills
Aviane	5 orange	5 orange
Cryselle	4 white	4 white
Empresse	4 orange	4 orange
Jolessa	4 pink	4 pink
Lessina	5 pink	5 pink
Levlen	4 light-orange	4 light-orange
Levlite	5 pink	5 pink
Levora	4 white	4 white
Lo/Orval	4 white	4 white
Low-Ogestrel	4 white	4 white
Lutera	5 white	5 white
Nordette	4 light-orange	4 light-orange
Ogestrel	2 white	2 white
Ovral	2 white	2 white
Portia	4 pink	4 pink
Quasense	4 white	4 white
Seasonale	4 pink	4 pink
Tri-Levlen	4 light blue-green	4 light blue-green
Triphasal	4 yellow	4 yellow
Trivora	4 pink	4 pink

Both Plan B® and birth control pills as EC are very safe to use. Both methods prevent pregnancy by using artificial hormones that are made in a laboratory, to act just like the ones a woman’s body produces naturally.

The side effects of EC pills are similar to the effects that hormonal changes related to menstruation, such as PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome).

The makers of Plan B® recommend not taking it if a woman thinks she might already be pregnant. This is not because of any risk, but because the pills will have no effect on her, besides feeling sick to her stomach. Even if a woman doesn’t know she’s pregnant and takes EC, it will not harm her or her pregnancy.

Some sources say that birth control or EC are unsafe. It’s so not true. Both birth control and EC have been approved as safe, effective, and non-abortive (meaning that it does not cause an abortion) by governments all over the world. Millions of women and girls have safely used EC for pregnancy protection. So don’t believe the hype!

are there side effects?

The most common side effects of EC are nausea (feeling like you need to throw up), vomiting, and small changes in timing and flow of a woman’s period (menstrual cycle). Stomach pain, breast tenderness, dizziness, tiredness, headaches, and irregular bleeding may also happen, though these generally last only a day or two after taking EC. Taking EC may cause her next period to occur a few days earlier or later than expected.

If a woman doesn’t get her period within three weeks after taking EC, she may be pregnant. It’s a good idea for her to find out for sure by taking a pregnancy test or contacting her doctor or a family planning counselor.

Taking motion sickness medicine such as Dramamine® an hour before taking EC may make it less likely that sickness happens. Research shows that taking two 25 mg (milligram) tablets of motion sickness medicine one hour before taking EC lessens the risk of nausea and vomiting. Keep in mind that motion sickness medications may cause drowsiness.

If vomiting happens within one hour of taking any form of oral EC, the dosage may need to be taken again to make sure the right amount of hormones get into the body. It’s always good to check with a doctor or family planning provider before taking the second dose. If a second dose is taken, it may help to take Dramamine® an hour before to lessen symptoms.

If vomiting happens within an hour of taking EC, checking with a doctor or clinician before retaking the dosage is a good idea.

Since it has less side effects and a higher rate of success, Plan B® is often recommended over regular birth control as EC. However, because EC must be used within 5 days of a pregnancy risk, taking regular birth control is a good option for anyone who already has a prescription and may not have time to get Plan B®. Hey, I say, do what makes the most sense for you.

EC does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like HIV or chlamydia. Condoms are the only birth control methods that also protect against STIs like HIV.

Family planning clinics provide low- or no-cost confidential clinical and counseling services for women, men and teens in Massachusetts. Services include birth control, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, and STI testing and treatment, and other medical exams.
Click here for all family planning agencies.

Not 2 Late
Offers accurate information and resources about emergency contraception and provides a searchable database of emergency contraceptive providers.
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EC Help
Offers information on emergency contraception and where to find a pharmacy that can carry EC in Massachusetts
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