Plan B and Plan B One Step

Plan B (levonorgestrel¹) contains a very high dosage of progestin and is marketed to be used 72 hours after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.

Plan B is not 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, even when taken as prescribed. It may prevent or delay ovulation. It may interfere with fertilization of an egg. It also is possible that this type of emergency birth control prevents implantation of a fertilized egg in your uterus by altering its lining.

Plan B does not protect you from the transmission of HIV and other STDs. Plan B is not intended to be used during pregnancy.

Potential side effects of Plan B or Plan B One-Step include:

• Nausea
• Mood swings
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Menstrual changes
• Dizziness
• Breast tenderness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

ellaOne

ellaOne² is a medicine that contains the active substance ulipristal acetate. ellaOne is marketed as and approved as an emergency contraceptive. It is available by prescription only.

ellaOne may be prescribed for emergency contraception for up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex or contraception failure. It is prescribed as a single dose/30 mg tablet and is taken by mouth. Repeat use of ellaOne within the same menstrual cycle is not recommended. ellaOne is thought to prevent pregnancies mainly by preventing or delaying ovulation.

ellaOne does not prevent the spread of STDs including HIV and is not intended for use during pregnancy.

Potential side effects of ellaOne include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Dysmenorrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Sac Valley Women’s Health in Sacramento does not offer or refer for abortions or emergency birth control.

If you have questions, we can help! Call us at (916) 451-2273 (CARE) or request an appointment online.

¹TEVA Women’s Health, WebMD
²HRA Pharma packaging insert

This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice. We do not perform abortion services.