Is Plan B the Same as the Abortion Pill?
No, Plan B and the Abortion Pill use different medications to do different things.
Plan B is used to prevent pregnancy. It can be used after 72 hours of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy by keeping the egg from implanting in the uterus. It does not work after 72 hours of unprotected sex.
The abortion pill is used to end a pregnancy. It can be used before 10 weeks, or 70 days, from the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period to end a early pregnancy.
What is Plan B?
The Morning After Pill (Plan B) works by releasing a high dose of progestin (levonorgestrel) which is found in many birth control pills. It may work by preventing the egg and sperm from meeting by delaying ovulation. The pill must be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex.
Taking Plan B One-Step does not reliably stop ovulation, so fertilization of the egg may still take place.
What is the Abortion Pill?
The “abortion pill” is more than just one pill. It is a two-step regimen intended to end an early, confirmed pregnancy (10 weeks or less). The abortion pill regimen consists of two drugs – mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol causes uterine contractions to expel the pregnancy from the uterus.
What Are the Possible Side Effects?
Plan B
- A period that is lighter ,hevier, early or late
- Nausea
- Lower abdominal cramps
- Headache/Dizziness
- Breast Tenderness
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
Abortion Pill
- Cramping and heaving vaginal bleeding
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Fever/Chills
- Vomiting/Diarrhea
- Headache/Dizziness
- Anxiety
Emergency Contraception Information
For more information on the Morning-After Pill and other forms of emergency contraception, make an appointment today.