How often can you take Plan B?

Plan B, also known as Plan B One-Step or the morning-after pill, is a form of emergency contraception that you can take after having sex without a barrier method or other birth control options.

You can take Plan B, available over the counter, as many times as you need. But it’s not advised to use it as your main birth control method.

Is there a limit? 

About 24% of women in the United States who have sex take emergency contraception.

There’s no limit on how many times you can take Plan B. According to Planned Parenthood, taking it multiple times won’t affect its effectiveness, and it should not create long-term adverse effects or complications or affect your fertility.

Emergency contraception works by preventing ovulation or by preventing the sperm from fertilizing an egg. 

Plan B’s active ingredient is levonorgestrel, a synthetic hormone that prevents your ovaries from releasing an egg or prevents your eggs from being fertilized. You should use Plan B within 72 hours of having sex without other forms of contraception to prevent pregnancy. 

Plan B vs. Combination pill

Plan B only contains progestin, a synthetic hormone, and you should only use it as emergency contraception.

Progestin-only pills work differently to prevent pregnancy than contraceptives containing both synthetic estrogen and progestin, like desogestrel-ethinyl estradiol (Mircette). These medications, often called the combined pill, are 99% effective and work by:

• preventing eggs from being released
• making it difficult for sperm to reach your womb by thickening the mucus in the womb’s neck
• making it more difficult for eggs to attach by thinning the womb’s lining

Experts do not advise using Plan B as your regular birth control because it’s less effective and more expensive in the long term. Plan B can also cause irregularities in your menstrual cycle if taken regularly.

If you need help covering the cost of medications, the free Optum Perks Discount Card could help you save up to 80% on prescription drugs. Follow the links on drug names for savings on that medication, or search for a specific drug here.

Side effects

Plan B doesn’t cause any long-term adverse effects or health risks. But it can cause some side effects within a few hours of taking it. These include:

• stomach pain
• headaches
• menstrual irregularities, like missing your period
• cramps and painful periods
• nausea 
• acne
• vomiting

Other birth control options

Apart from Plan B One-Step, other branded versions of morning-after pills are available, such as Take Action, Preventeza, My Way, AfterPill, Option 2, and My Choice.

Other birth control methods you may want to consider are:

• hormonal birth control pills, like desogestrel ethinyl estradiol (Kariva)
• intrauterine devices (IUDs)
• progestin implants and shots
• vaginal rings
• diaphragms
• condoms
• spermicides
• tubal ligation
• vasectomy

Learn more about the effectiveness of different birth control methods.

Summary

Plan B, or the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraception that you take right after having sex without a barrier method.

There’s no limit on how often you can take Plan B — it won’t affect how well it works or cause long-term adverse effects or health risks.

However, healthcare professionals advise not to use Plan B as a regular form of contraception because it tends to be less effective and more costly than other birth control options.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on some prescription medications.