FAQ: The Morning After Pill

The morning-after pill is a form of emergency contraception, which is also called Plan B One-Step®. Emergency contraception is any type of birth control used after unprotected intercourse or a known or suspected contraceptive failure (e.g. a broken condom) to attempt to prevent pregnancy.

Your body and your health are important, so take time to make the best decision.  Give us a call at 719.544.9312 for a confidential discussion about your options.

According to Plan B One-Step® , "The sooner you take Plan B®, the more effective it is. It can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours and preferably within 12 hours of unprotected sex. If you take it within 24 hours of unprotected sex, it is 95% effective. If you take it between 48 and 72 hours of unprotected sex, the efficacy rate is 61%."

Many times women panic after having unprotected sex and rush to take the morning-after pill. However, you can only become pregnant on certain days of the month — around the time that you ovulate. Taking the morning-after pill during a time when you cannot become pregnant needlessly exposes you to large doses of hormones.

If you are already pregnant from an earlier sexual encounter, taking the morning-after pill is of no value and may cause harm.

To confim if you are pregnant, give us a call at 719.544.9312

That depends upon how you define “life.”  Some believe that pregnancy does not begin until a fertilized egg implants in the womb. However, the scientific reality is that at conception, many defining features are already determined such as gender, eye and hair color, and growth begins. That’s why some believe that conception is the starting point of a new human life. Taking Plan B One-Step® after the sperm has fertilized the egg may prevent this new life from settling into the womb (implantation) and continuing to grow, which is why some would consider it an early abortion.

Like any medication, the incidence of risks and side effects is variable.  Plan B One-Step®  is associated with the following side effects: nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, heavier menstrual bleeding and dizziness6.

Remember, your body and health are important, so take time to make the best decision. Please call us at 719.544.9312 to get more information and to talk about your options if you are pregnant.

ACPC Women’s Clinic offers peer mentoring and accurate information about all of your pregnancy options; however, we do not offer or refer for abortion services or emergency contraception. The information presented on this website is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice.