Plan B Missed Period

Plan B Missed Period

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Published: Dec 03, 2017
Last Updated: Oct 24, 2019

Answered By: Dr. Brian Staiger Pharm.D

If I am switching from a combined birth control pill to nuvaring, will I be protected from pregnancy immediately if I start the nuvaring the day following my last inactive pill (the day I would be sta...

I take the birth control Seasonique, my question is if I don't want my period for Christmas is it safe to take my placebo pills two weeks earlier than scheduled?

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In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses how emergency contraception such as Plan B can affect your menstrual cycle.
Hi,

I took the morning after pill the first week of November and had a 3/4 day period ending on the 9th November. I then stupidly took it again a week later and since then have had spotting but no period. I did a pregnancy test but it’s came up negative. Have I just not got my period as I’ve taken 2 pills and its messed up my cycle or something else??
Emergency contraceptives, such as Plan B, contain a large dose of the progestin hormone, levonorgestrel. It is thought to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex by either inhibiting or delaying ovulation. It may also impact egg fertilization and implantation.
The use of oral emergency contraception (e.g. Plan B) is well known to cause significant, but short lived, changes to the menstrual cycle as you are ingesting a large hormonal dose. In fact, all of the following have been reported and are possible after taking Plan B:
In studies evaluating how emergency contraception affects the menstrual cycle, it appears that taking it earlier in the menstrual cycle is associated with a shortened cycle and increased spotting. Taking it later in the menstrual cycle tended to prolong or result in the absence of the menstrual cycle.
There is not much data available in regard to how two full doses of emergency contraception may affect you menstrual cycle, but we can certainly infer that the adverse reactions may be more significant versus taking one dose. This could certainly include spotting and amenorrhea (absence of a menstrual cycle). The closer to menses you take hormones, the likelier it is to 'miss' your period.
It is extremely important to take a pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy as the reason for not having your period. It is recommended that you reach out to your doctor so they can take a more conclusive test to confirm you are not pregnant.
Lastly, data suggests that your menstrual cycle will should begin to return to normal one full cycle after taking the emergency contraception . If you continue to experience unusual spotting or bleeding, please contact your doctor.
Dr. Brian Staiger is a licensed pharmacist in New York State and the founder of the Q+A website PharmacistAnswers.com. He graduated from the University At Buffalo with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2010.

He has been featured in numerous publications including the Huffington Post as well as a variety of health and pharmacy-related blogs.

Please feel free to reach out to him directly if you have any inquiries or want to connect! He's answered thousands of medication and pharmacy-related questions and he's ready to answer yours!

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This article was medically reviewed by Olivia P. Myrick , MD, a clinical assistant professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone .

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Plan B is a form of emergency

birth control

, often referred to as the morning-after pill, that can help prevent pregnancy in the event of unprotected sex or birth control failure.
Taking Plan B could affect the timing of your next period or cause other menstrual irregularities like bleeding between periods, and heavier or lighter menstrual flow. However, plan B's effects on your period shouldn't persist beyond one menstrual cycle.
Plan B should only be used as a backup in case you need emergency birth control. It should not be taken regularly or used as a replacement for other forms of birth control.
Here's how plan B may disrupt your menstrual cycle and what to expect after taking it.
"Levonorgestrel is the active hormone in Plan B," says Krishna Kakani , an MD who has her own OB/GYN practice.
Levonorgestrel is a synthetic progestin hormone that prevents pregnancy in two ways:
It's important to note that plan B works to prevent fertilization , it will not terminate a pregnancy if the egg has already implanted.
Since levonorgestrel affects ovulation and the uterine lining to prevent pregnancy, taking Plan B could alter the timing, length, and flow of your next period.
"Emergency contraceptives that contain levonorgestrel are most effective if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex," says Kakani. Plan B is just one type of emergency contraceptive that contains levonorgestrel. Others brands include:
Levonorgestrel is also an ingredient in other forms of birth control like oral birth control pills, vaginal rings, contraceptive implants, and birth control patches.
Ella, another emergency contraceptive, contains a different hormone, known as ulipristal acetate. Like levonorgestrel, it works by preventing the release of the egg from the ovary. However, unlike levonorgestrel, which only offers you a 72-hour window , ella offers you a 120-hour window to prevent pregnancy after having unprotected sex.
A 2006 study investigated how emergency contraceptives containing levonorgestrel affect menstruation. The study found that approximately 15% of women experienced disruptions in their menstrual cycle after taking the medication. The women reported some or multiple of the following side effects:
You can take Plan B at any point in your menstruation cycle. However, the side effects you experience could vary depending on where you are in your cycle. For instance, a small 2005 study found that participants taking Plan B in the first few weeks of their menstrual cycle caused their period to arrive earlier than usual; whereas taking it in the last week of their cycle delayed their period.
Apart from affecting your menstrual cycle, taking Plan B can also cause short-term side effects that may start when you take the pill and persist for a few days. Side effects may include:
Plan B is typically administered as a single tablet . However, you may need a second dose if you vomit within two hours of taking the pill, as it could mean that the pill hasn't been absorbed and is therefore ineffective in preventing pregnancy. If this is the case, contact your doctor and see if you should take a second dose.
It is not recommended to resume sexual intercourse without another form of contraception, as Plan B does not provide lasting protection against pregnancy and is not intended to replace other forms of birth control. However, if you have unprotected sex again, you can take Plan B if you need to.
In fact, there's no limit on how many times you can take plan B in one cycle. While it could cause short-term side effects and affect your next period, it doesn't affect your fertility in the long-run. It is just not as effective as regular birth control methods that are taken correctly.
Research shows that the side effects of Ella are similar to those of emergency contraceptives containing levonorgestrel, like Plan B. However, you need to wait five days after taking Ella to resume other hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills, rings, patches, implants, or injections.
Experiencing vaginal bleeding after taking Plan B could be a sign that you aren't pregnant. "You may experience bleeding similar to a period after taking Plan B, which may indicate that fertilization has not occurred," notes Kakani.
Your cycle should also go back to normal soon. Most of the changes caused by emergency contraceptives like Plan B do not persist beyond one menstrual cycle .
If your period is over a week late after you've taken Plan B, there's a chance that you may be pregnant , so consider taking a pregnancy test .
Plan B is an effective form of emergency contraception that you can take up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex. It delays ovulation and prevents fertilization, which may cause side effects like nausea and vomiting, as well as disruptions to your next menstrual cycle.
Plan B should therefore be taken only in emergencies, if you've had unprotected sex or if your regular birth control method has failed. It's not recommended to take Plan B frequently, or as a substitute for other forms of birth control .

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Simple Health Information For Women.
How late can a period be after taking the morning after pill? The morning after pill is not the most effective method to use if you want to prevent pregnancy after unplanned sex. BUT – it is easy to get hold of compared to the other methods (like the Copper coil) and therefore, its the most common option for many people.
But after using the pill, a lot of practical questions come to light.
For instance, how to know if the pill worked and can the morning after pill make you miss a period .
Others are: does the morning after pill affect your period , or issues around t he late period after morning after pill .
We will address these questions in detail in this post.
The EC pill is the method you reach for after having unplanned sex when you do not have protection. Protection means taking a regular contraception method like daily pills, implants, injections, or using a condom before sex.
Currently, after unprotected intercourse, we have two main methods for preventing an unplanned pregnancy – the emergency pills or the copper IUD.
The Copper IUD ( i ntra u terine d evice) or Copper coil is a small device that an experienced health provider fits inside your womb in the clinic.
It is the most effective emergency birth control method and needs to be fitted within five days of unplanned sex or five days of ovulation.
But if you can’t get the Copper coil, the emergency contraception pill is your next best bet.
EC pills come mainly in 3 different forms.
The emergency pills work by delaying ovulation, that is, the release of an egg from the ovary.
The pill changes your hormones to prevent the release of the egg, usually till sperm from sexual activity have died off.
Since we know that sperm can remain alive
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