Can Plan B Make You Miss A Period

Can Plan B Make You Miss A Period

All

Select the section you want to search in

All
Consumer
Professional
Pill ID
Interactions
News
FDA Alerts
Approvals
Pipeline
Clinical Trials
Care Notes
Natural Products

Browse all medications:

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
0-9

Advanced Search

Medical Answers
Can Plan B make your period late or cause bleeding?

I accept the Terms and Privacy Policy

Select one or more newsletters to continue.

Ad Choices

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.

Copyright © 2000-2022 Drugs.com. All rights reserved.

Medically reviewed by Sally Chao, MD . Last updated on July 30, 2021.
Yes, Plan B ( levonorgestrel ) can delay your period or cause bleeding to occur outside of regular menstrual bleeding because levonorgestrel is a synthetic hormone. To prevent pregnancy, Plan B, like other birth control pills, must alter your hormone levels, which can prompt these menstrual changes. Plan B is associated with more menstrual changes than regular birth control pills because the dosage is higher.
In a clinical trial, 31% of participants experienced some change in their menstrual cycle after taking Plan B, but the potential menstrual changes are varied. Plan B may cause some women to experience heavier or lighter menstrual bleeding compared to their regular periods.
After taking Plan B, some women get their period sooner than expected, while others get it later. However, clinical trial data suggest most women will get their period within two days to one week of the anticipated time. Women who take Plan B and experience a delay in their period greater than one week are recommended to take a pregnancy test.
During your menstrual cycle, the time at which Plan B is taken can affect how your menstruation changes.
Nonmenstrual bleeding, or spotting, can also occur after using Plan B. Clinical trial data show that 16% of participants experienced spotting in the first week after taking Plan B. Similarly, in one study of 232 women who took Plan B, just under 15% experienced spotting. In this study group, the bleeding typically started around 4 days after Plan B was takenand lasted an average of 2.4 days, with a range of one to seven days. Some women began spotting as early as 8 hours after taking Plan B.
Menstrual changes and irregular bleeding associated with Plan B should go away without treatment. In one study of 132 women, most women returned to their normal cycle length in the next cycle following the use of Plan B. However, those who took Plan B later on in their cycle (after ovulation) had a slightly longer next cycle on average.
The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Available for Android and iOS devices.
Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates.
Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 July 2022), Cerner Multum™ (updated 27 June 2022), ASHP (updated 16 May 2022) and others.
Help support Drugs.com by allowing ads...

U.S. doctors online now Ask doctors free
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours.
Educational text answers on HealthTap are not intended for individual diagnosis, treatment or prescription. For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person). For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service.
Ask your question Ask question Free
Talk to a doctor now Talk to a doctor $
Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours.
Educational text answers on HealthTap are not intended for individual diagnosis, treatment or prescription. For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person). For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service.
Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in less than one minute for common issues such as: colds and coughs, stomach symptoms, bladder infections, rashes, and more.
Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other abusable medications.
Ask your question Ask question Free
Talk to a doctor now Talk to a doctor $
Get answers from Adolescent Medicine Specialists and top U.S. doctors
Educational text answers on HealthTap are not intended for individual diagnosis, treatment or prescription. For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person). For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service.
Our doctors evaluate, diagnose, prescribe, order lab tests, and recommend follow-up care
Affordable with or without insurance
Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in a minute. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other commonly abused medications.
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Obstetrics & Gynecology 35 years experience
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Obstetrics and Gynecology 28 years experience
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in
3 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies. To learn more, please visit our Cookie Policy .
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.

How can Plan B (morning-after pill) affect your period?
Types of emergency contraception pills
Plan B One-Step and menstrual changes
By prescription-only: ella™ and menstrual changes
Takeaways: Can Plan B affect your period?
Join Favor (formerly The Pill Club) in the fight for reproductive rights. Take action.
Plan B One-Step™, often just referred to as "Plan B," can be a superhero: It helps many women significantly lower their pregnancy risk after unprotected sex. It's safe to use, but just like birth control can affect your periods , so can Plan B. Here's how Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill or emergency contraception, can affect your menstrual cycle and for how long.
The short answer is yes: Plan B can affect your period because it can change your menstrual cycle's timing. The National Institutes of Health says that emergency contraception may cause mild side effects like menstrual bleeding changes. After taking Plan B, your next period may start earlier or later than you expect, and it could be heavier or lighter than usual. To understand why you have to know how emergency contraception works.
The Office on Women's Health says that the FDA first approved emergency contraceptive pills in 1998. The easiest way to explain Plan B is to compare it to its closest cousin: birth control pills.
Just like hormonal birth control, Plan B prevents a woman from getting pregnant after unprotected sex by:
Stopping the ovary from releasing an egg (a process called ovulation)
Blocking sperm from reaching the egg if it's already been released
Plan B just has a higher dose of hormones (e.g., the hormone levonorgestrel) than birth control pills. Doctors say it shouldn't be used as a regular form of birth control.
You might know Plan B as the "morning-after pill" that goes by a few names: Plan B One-Step, Take Action™, My Way™, ella™ and more.
Is Plan B the same as the abortion pill? It's crucial to note that Plan B is not an abortion pill. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that emergency contraception only works before pregnancy officially begins. If the egg and sperm have already met, fertilized, and implanted into the uterus lining, it's pretty much a done deal. Just like hormonal birth control, it helps prevent pregnancy before it starts.
When researchers studied high-dose birth control pills, they found no risk to a developing embryo if the pregnancy had already begun. This means that if you still get pregnant even after Plan B, you don't have to worry that the actual Plan B medication would harm the pregnancy.
There are two types of emergency contraceptive pills (each with a different hormone), but you can expect these kinds of menstrual changes to happen after taking either of them:
An early or late period after taking the pill
Changes to your next period (the one you'd expect to come after your current cycle)
Researchers at Princeton University looked at past studies and said that menstrual cycles could be shortened after taking Plan B, meaning that the time between now and when you get your next period could be shorter. When we talk menstrual cycles , we're tracking the first day you get your period as day 1, up until the first day of your next period. Everyone's different, but usually, you'd get your period every 28 days or so.
They also found even if Plan B didn't shorten the time until your next cycle, it could cause your next period the following month to be longer.
There are 2 types of emergency contraceptive pills commonly sold in the U.S.:
Plan B One-Step™ (also sold under names like Next Choice™ or AfterPill™) - to be taken as soon as possible and within 72 hours of unprotected sex
ella™ - to be taken as quickly as possible after unprotected sex and within 5 days
Editor's note : Technically, a doctor could have you take higher doses of regular combination birth control pills as emergency contraception, something called the Yuzpe regimen. But that's not as effective as the other 2 types listed above, and it brings with it more side effects. Additionally, the copper IUD could be inserted within 5 days as a form of emergency contraception.
Scientists have found that both Plan B One-Step™ (or equivalent generics) that you can get over-the-counter, or the prescription for ella™, are safe to use to prevent pregnancy. Any side effects that you have after taking either of the emergency contraceptive pills should be mild and short-term.
After you take emergency contraceptive pills, the most common side effect is - you guessed it - changes to your menstrual periods.
Here is a list of some possible side effects after using a "morning-after" pill like Plan B:
If you take Plan B One-Step or one of its brand-name equivalents, you're essentially taking a pill that has the hormone levonorgestrel, a type of progestin. This hormone is what's going to help delay the release of the egg and some other more complicated functions.
Scientists have found that changes to your period after taking Plan B depend on when in your menstrual cycle you took it. After all, all things pregnancy-related depend on your cycle! They found that depending on where you were in your cycle when you took Plan B, your next period could come early or late. One study showed that, on average, when you take Plan B, your period could start 1 day earlier.
The FDA approved the emergency contraceptive ella in 2015. It's the most effective emergency contraceptive pill in the U.S. Its star ingredient is the chemical ulipristal acetate. Like its rival levonorgestrel in Plan B, ulipristal acetate works primarily by delaying ovulation. Researchers have found that one side effect of taking ella could be your period is delayed by about 2 days.
Doctors say that you don't need any tests or procedures after using emergency contraception. However, if you haven't gotten your period within a week of when it should come or expect it to come, you should have a pregnancy test . Don't hesitate to talk to your doctor for some good, solid medical advice.
When you take it as directed, your emergency contraception pill should be safe and effective. The California State Board of Pharmacy says that emergency contraception could reduce your risk of getting pregnant by up to 89%. Note that this number is only an estimate, and it rides upon the fact that you take it on time, as soon as possible after having unprotected sex.
The number one side effect of taking Plan B is irregular periods, which can come early or be delayed by a couple of days. Taking emergency contraception could also affect your next month's period. But the effects usually resolve on their own, and no treatment is necessary. If you don't get your period within a week of when you expect it to come, however, it's probably a good idea to get a pregnancy test or get medical advice.
It's important to know that accidents happen - a condom could break, you might forget to take your birth control pills for a few days, etc. It's a great "last-chance" option that public health professionals say is not used often enough. Though you can get Plan B at most local drugstores and pharmacies, it may not be accessible for everyone. That's why it's good to be prepared: Online birth control delivery companies like ours, can send Plan B with your package, so you have it when you need it. Plus, add menstrual care products to your subscription to stay on top of irregular periods.
Emergency contraception is a lifesaver to many. It's a temporary fix, though. Make sure to continue to use your regular birth control method, like birth control pills or condoms, every time you have sex.
National Institutes of Health. MedlinePlus.gov. Emergency contraception . Reviewed January 23, 2020.
Office on Women's Health. Womenshealth.gov. Approval of emergency contraception . Updated April 1, 2019.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Acog.org. Emergency contraception . Published September 2015.
Office on Women's Health. Womenshealth.gov. What happens during the typical 28-day menstrual cycle ? Updated March 16, 2018.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC.gov. Reproductive Health: Emergency Contraception . Reviewed November 2, 2018.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Accessdata.fda.gov. Ella (ulipristal acetate) Tablets . Published March 31, 2015.
Haeger K, Lamme J, Cleland K. State of emergency contraception in the U.S., 2018 . Contracept Reprod Med. Published September 5, 2018.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Acog.org. Emergency Contraception . Reviewed June 2020.
California State Board of Pharmacy. Pharmacy.ca.gov. Key Facts About Emergency Contraception . Accessed March 22, 2021.
Monthly Action: What to do, see, watch, listen to, and buy in July
Here’s a to-do list you’ll actually love. This round-up of recommendations was curated to help you wind down, relax, and enjoy some “me time.” Here are Favor’s staff picks for what to watch, read, listen to, buy, and do for maximum self-care this month.
We’re matching the next 20,000 emergency contraception purchases with a donation to a clinic in need
How media, movies, and lack of proper education have led us to be self conscious about our lady parts—and why we shouldn’t be!
Our medical services are provided by one of our four medical groups. In all states other than Kansas, New Jersey and Texas, services are provided by FVR Medical Group, Inc.. In Kansas, medical services are provided by FVR Medical Group of Kansas, Professional Association, with registered office at 2900 SW Wanamaker Drive, Suite 204, Topeka, KS 66614. In New Jersey, services are provided by FVR Medical Group of New Jersey, Professional Corporation, with registered office at Princeton South Corporate Ctr, Suite 160, 100 Charles Ewing Blvd, Ewing, NJ 08628. In Texas, services are provided by FVR Medical Group of Texas, Professional Association, with registered office at 211 E. 7th St, Suite 620, Austin, TX 78701. Our team is based at 951 Mariners Island Blvd, Suite 300, San Mateo, CA 944024. You can call us on 772-217-4557.
Hey Favor, Inc. provides a variety of administrative and management services to the four medical groups.
© 2022 Hey Favor , Inc. All rights reserved.

Submissive Couples Stories
Videos Sensuais
Fucked Against A Wall

Can Plan B Make You Miss A Period

Report Page