I have an irregular period and I took the morning-after pill. How do I know when to take a pregnancy test?

By Attia @ Planned Parenthood | Dec. 11, 2014, 4:04 p.m.

My period is irregular and I took the morning after pill. How can I tell if I missed my period and am pregnant or if it’s because of the pill?

Emergency contraception can help prevent pregnancy if you take it within 5 days of having unprotected sex. After taking emergency contraception (AKA the morning-after pill), it’s normal for your period to be a little later or earlier than usual. You can find out if it worked by taking a pregnancy test 3 weeks after when you took the pill.

Want to have a more regular period and not worry about having to take emergency contraception? Some birth control methods like the pill, patch, and ring work really well at preventing pregnancy and making your period show up super regularly. You might also want to check out the IUD and implant. They’re 2 kinds of birth control that don’t necessarily make your period more regular, but they’re easy to use and really good at preventing pregnancy.

Your nearest Planned Parenthood health center can get you started on figuring out the right method for you.

Tags: pregnancy, the morning-after pill, pregnancy test, period