Plan B ®

levenorgestrel a new form of emergency contraception.

Who should take Plan B®?

Plan B is a safe option for those who have had unprotected sex within the last 72 hours and do not want to be pregnant.

Plan B® is not recommended for those who are already pregnant, who have unexplained vaginal bleeding or are allergic to any of the ingredients in the pill.It is not recommended for regular, continued use or replacement of other forms of contraception.

Emergencies recommended for Plan B® include:

• Failed contraception: condom breaks or slips, you missed your contraception shot, you missed 2 or more pills, or your cervical cap or diaphragm slipped.
• You had unprotected sex
• You were forced to have sex.

How does Plan B ® work?

Levonorgestrel may work to prevent pregnancy in two ways:

• By temporarily stopping ovulation, or the release of an egg from the ovary.
• By preventing the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus by increasing mucus production in the endometrial cells.
• Plan B ® will NOT work if you are already pregnant, however there is no medical evidence that Plan B® is harmful to the fetus.

How is Plan B® different from older emergency contraceptives?

Plan B® contains only progestin, while older pills contained both estrogen and progestin.As a result women experience much fewer side effects although some women will experience nausea, abdomen pain, headaches, breast 

tenderness and menstrual changes. 

How effective is Plan B®?

Plan B® reduces the risk of pregnancy from about 8% down to 1%.This is an 89% reduction in the risk of pregnancy for each act of unprotected sex.Plan B® should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex to increase efficacy.

How much does Plan B cost and how is it made available to women?

Plan B® costs about $25 in most retail pharmacies.Some clinics provide Plan B® at no charge.Some health care plans provide reimbursement for Plan B®.

Plan B® can be provided and or prescribed by your health care provider.In some states, such as Washington, pharmacists can provide women with Plan B® with out a prescription.

There are currently no age restrictions on Plan B®.

How is Plan B® taken?

·Take the first tablet as soon as possible after unprotected sex, with in 72 hours

·Take the second tablet 12 hours after you take the first tablet.

FACTS:

Each Plan B® pill contains 0.75 mg of levonorgesterel, 18,19-Dinorpregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one-13-ethyl-17-hydroxy-(17 a)-(-)-, a totally synthetic progestin.Inactive ingredients include: colloidal silicon dioxide, potato starch, gelatin, magnesium stearate, talc, corn starch, and lactose monohydrate.

Overdosage: taking too much Plan B® may cause vomiting or nausea.