How many times can you take plan B before becoming infertile?
A person can take plan B as many times as necessary to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. It is to be taken only once after having sex without contraception.
In some cases, a person may require to take more than one dose.
What is plan B?
Plan B is a form of emergency contraception. Emergency contraceptive pills can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 75–89%, as long as a person takes it within 3 days of having sex.
How often can plan B be taken ?
People can take it whenever they feel the necessity to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.
There are no significant health risks on the use of Plan B. But doctors and other health professionals do not recommend it as a regular form of birth control because it is less effective than other methods of contraception. Plan B only contains progestin. Progestin-only birth control pills can result in less side effects and may be a safer option for some people.
When taken correctly within 3 days of having sex without using contraception, plan B can reduce the chance of pregnancy by up to 89%.
It can be taken up to 5 days after having sex as well, but it becomes less effective the longer a person waits.
What is the dosage of plan B?
A person is required to take only one dose of Plan B following each episode of sex without contraception. Taking additional doses does not make it more effective.
If by chance any person vomits shortly after taking the pill, in that case the pill does not have the time to enter the person’s system and the hormones cannot take effect to prevent pregnancy.
In this case, it is important to take another dose of Plan B.
If a person has sex without contraception a couple of days after taking Plan B, they must take another dose to reduce the risk of pregnancy after this instance of intercourse.
How does Plan B work?
Levonorgestrel is the only active ingredient in Plan B. Levonorgestrel, a synthetic-steroid progestin hormone mimics progesterone.
Progesterone is a naturally occurring hormone that is produced by the body after ovulation has taken place. Ovulation cannot occur with high progesterone levels.
Taking Plan B tricks your body into thinking you’ve already ovulated as it temporarily stops your ovary from releasing an egg.
What are the possible risks and side effects of plan B ?
Plan B has relatively low-risk. They have been used for around 30 years. It does not carry the same risks as taking other forms of hormonal birth control on a continuous basis. This is due to the hormones remaining in a person’s system for a much shorter period than they do when taking ongoing birth control.
The primary risk coming up with using Plan B is an unplanned pregnancy as it is less effective than other forms of birth control. Another risk is of irregular periods, especially if a person takes plan B regularly.
Short-term side effects that may result from using plan B are :
- dizziness
- fatigue
- a headache
- irregular bleeding between periods
- nausea
- stomach cramps
- tender breasts
- vomiting
These side effects should only last a few days, although a person’s period may be late up to seven days. If the period does not arrive even after a week, it is recommended to take a pregnancy test.
There are no long-term risks of plan B use. They also do not affect a person’s future fertility.
What are the reasons that Plan B might not work for you ?
There are a few reasons Plan B might not work for you :
BMI: Research from 2017 suggested that Plan B is less effective in people who weigh over 155 lbs. or have a body mass index (BMI) >30.
Vomiting after taking: If you vomit within 2 hours of taking plan B, your system might not have had an opportunity to absorb the medication completely. If this happens, call your doctor and take another dose of Plan B.
More than 3 days : Plan B should not be your first-line emergency contraception choice if more than 3 days have passed since you had unprotected sex.
How to find Plan B ?
Plan B is available without any prescription. You need not show an ID to get it. It is widely available at pharmacies and retailers. Plan B NOLA is available through local community groups if cost or accessibility is a factor.
Conclusion
Plan B is an emergency contraceptive pill that is to be taken within 72 hours (or 3 days) of having unprotected penis-in-vagina sex. It’s best to take Plan B as quickly as possible as it is effective as early taken. You don’t need to show any prescription or proof of age to purchase Plan B.
Plan B is not an abortion pill so it won’t terminate a pregnancy that has already been established. It can be taken as many times required after an unprotected sex or in case of contraceptive failure.
References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-many-times-can-you-take-plan-b
https://www.healthline.com/health/birth-control/how-long-can-you-wait-to-take-plan-b#bottom-line