As safe as it is to take the morning after pill, there is still a lot of misinformation — not to mention stigma — about it. Below is the correct information you need to know about emergency contraception in order to take charge of your own reproductive health.
Fact: The morning after pill does not cause abortion or miscarriage.
This is how the morning after pill actually works: It disrupts ovulation by preventing an egg from being fertilized in the first place. The morning after pill will not harm an already-established pregnancy, and it therefore has nothing to do with abortion or miscarriage.
Fact: The morning after pill’s side effects are similar to and no more severe than the Pill.
Scary stories about side effects are sometimes used to deter people from taking what is actually a very safe, common medication. The morning after pill isn’t very different from taking any oral contraceptive in terms of side effects. Brands like Plan B contain the same hormone (levonorgestrel) that is found in many birth control pills, just at a higher dosage. There could be birth-control-like side effects such as headaches, nausea, or irregular bleeding but in most all cases, nothing unusual, scary, or serious.
Fact: The morning after pill does not cause infertility.
Many people who hope to have children later worry about this, but it’s not true: There is no evidence that the morning after pill affects any future pregnancies or fertility. Note that unprotected sex, however, could affect a person’s fertility if they get a sexually-transmitted infection that goes untreated, such as chlamydia.
Fact: The morning after pill can be taken up to 3-5 days after unprotected sex.
The window of time that the morning after pill would be effective is actually longer than its name would imply. Depending on which formula you’re taking, the morning after pill can be taken up to 3–5 days after unprotected sex and still be effective. Note, however, that it becomes less effective the longer you wait to take it (the morning after pill is also not 100 percent effective, even when taken promptly).
Fact: There should be no stigma in taking the morning after pill.
The stigma attached to taking the morning after pill is just wrong, and backward, and needs to stop. It’s actually very responsible to take charge of your reproductive health by taking the morning after pill if you need to. There is no shame at all in doing what you need to do to take care of yourself and your sexual health.
If you need emergency contraception/the morning after pill or have questions about it, call Planned Parenthood at 1-888-743-7526.
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