Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills
Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills (cOCP) or combined OCP, bring together 2 hormones (estro..
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Levonorgestrel is also found in levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices (IUDs) like Mirena, which are inserted into the uterus. IUDs containing Levonorgestrel can be used as non-emergency birth control and can even be used to help women dealing with heavy and painful periods. If you have a BMI of 26 or more, Levonorgestrel and it’s generics do […] Read More
Simply take 1 pill within 72 hours (3 days) of having unprotected sex. However, it is recommended that you take emergency contraceptive pills ASAP because most methods do not work as well after ovulation occurs (this is when the egg comes out). The sooner you take Levonorgestrel, the better it will work.
Levonorgestrel has 1.5 milligrams of Levonorgestrel. This is a progesterone hormone used in lower doses in many birth control pills.
Some side effects reported by women who used Levonorgestrel are: nausea, lower abdominal cramps, tiredness, headache, dizziness, breast tenderness, vomiting and a period that is early, late, lighter or heavier.
Some women may experience changes in their period after taking Levonorgestrel. If your period is more than one week late, we recommend you to take a pregnancy test and follow up with your primary care provider since it’s possible you might be pregnant.
Do NOT take this if :
Levonorgestrel is pretty easy to get. It should be available at most grocery stores or pharmacies and you can get it without a prescription
Levonorgestrel and its generics are about 85% effective at preventing pregnancies. That means around 7 out of 8 people who take it as directed will not become pregnant. Taking it after 72 hours of unprotected sex also lowers its effectiveness.
Levonorgestrel price is about $21. This medication has other generics equivalents such as MyWay, Afterpill, Econtra EZ, React Levonorgestrel, Opcicon, Athentia Next, Fallback Solo, Next Choice One Dose for $0 with insurance or as little as $21 per pack without insurance. Generics have the SAME active ingredients and dosage as the name brand. Watch our video explaining generics vs. brand birth control pills.
Levonorgestrel is a single pill that needs to be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of having unprotected sex. The sooner it is taken, the better the medication will work.
You should take Levonorgestrel or any of its generics every time you had unprotected sex, the birth control method you were using failed, or you forgot to take birth control. Examples are:
You can take Levonorgestrel every time you have an oopsie. We don’t recommend using it on a regular basis since other birth control methods are more effective (IUD, Pill, Ring, Patch, Shot) and do not cause the side effects that Levonorgestrel does (spotting, nauseas). Using Levonorgestrel can also change your period cycle and if you use Levonorgestrel often, that will make it harder to keep track of when your period is due. Levonorgestrel should be used only for emergencies and not as a regular birth control.
The hormone is technically in your body for 5 days but that does NOT mean that it is preventing pregnancy for the whole time. Levonorgestrel is an emergency contraceptive pill that you take ASAP within 5 days of contraceptive failure (forgot to use birth control, condom popped, missed 3 days of the pill/patch/ring in a row) or sexual assault.
There is no research to our knowledge about how long levonorgestrel emergency contraception pills (Plan B and its generics) delay ovulation. But most likely the effect is only for 24 hrs.
TLDR: Immediately. Evidence suggests that you can safely continue breastfeeding after taking levonorgestrel without taking any time off.
Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills (cOCP) or combined OCP, bring together 2 hormones (estro..
Medically reviewed by Sophia Yen, MD, MPH – Written by Pandia Health Editorial Team &..