The Morning After . . . 

   Elizabeth thought about the events of the night before as she drove home. Everything was a complete whirlwind, from the party at Nicole’s house, to waking up this morning in her boyfriend Jeremy's room.

Elizabeth and Jeremy had only been dating for a month. Jeremy was her first "serious" boyfriend, but she knew he’d been with other girls before. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel unsettled as she pulled into her driveway and parked.

Jeremy's condom had broken last night, and although neither of them thought anything of it at the time, thoughts were now racing through Elizabeth's mind: What if I’m pregnant? Jeremy's had other partners – what if he has an STD and gave it to me? What if my parents find out?

Nicole was her best friend – and she'd had a pregnancy scare last year too – surely she would know what to do.

She recommended that Elizabeth try Plan B^® -- the "Morning After Pill." Although it wouldn't protect Elizabeth from getting a sexually transmitted infection, Nicole said it would prevent a pregnancy if she took it right away.

Elizabeth had heard you could get it at the pharmacy now without a prescription, but she still had a lot of questions about this pill, and she needed them answered . . . fast.

What is the Morning After Pill?

The Morning After Pill contains a high dosage of the hormone progestin, and when it is used as directed, it prevents or ends pregnancy.  It is marketed as an emergency contraceptive.

How is the Morning After Pill Taken?

The Morning After Pill is designed to be taken in two doses. The first pill is supposed to be taken within the first 72 hours after intercourse, followed by the second pill 12 hours later¹.

Are there any other names for the Morning After Pill?

Yes. The Morning After Pill is often known by its brand name, Plan B^®, which was approved as an "emergency contraceptive" by the FDA in July 1999. Certain oral contraceptives are sometimes used in large doses to produce the same effect as Plan B^®, but that's not recommended. When you hear people talking about the Morning After Pill, they are usually referring to Plan B^®.

How Does the Morning After Pill work?

Depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, the pill could affect you in one of three ways²:
1.  Ovulation may be prevented if you haven't already started ovulating (the egg will not be released to meet the sperm).
2.  The lining of the fallopian tubes (where fertilization occurs) may be affected so that sperm cannot reach the egg, preventing fertilization, also known as conception.
3.  The lining of your uterus will become irritated, and if an egg has already been released and fertilized by the sperm, this irritation will interfere with the ability of the embryo to implant in your uterus.

Are there side effects?

Yes. There are several short term side effects to taking the Morning After Pill. These may include:
 
1. Nausea and vomiting.
2. Irregular and unpredictable menstrual periods.
3. Cramping and abdominal pain.
4. Breast tenderness.
5. Fatigue.
6. Headache.

In addition, the cramping and abdominal pain that may result from use of Plan B^® may mask the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, a potentially life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus (most often in the fallopian tubes).

It wouldn’t be like I was getting an abortion . . . right?

If an egg has been fertilized, and you take the Morning After Pill, it will work to prevent the embryo from implanting in your uterine wall. If this happens, an abortion will occur, because each human life begins as an embryo.³

Shortly after the sperm penetrates the egg, 46 human chromosomes come together into a complex genetic design that helps to determine the unique characteristics of a new individual -- the eye and hair color, gender, skin tone, height, and even the intricate swirl of the fingerprints. That new life may not be able to implant and continue to grow because of the effects that the hormones in the Pills have on your uterine wall.

How can you know if an egg has been fertilized? That's the problem – you can't know. But we do know that sperm can reach the fallopian tubes mere minutes after intercourse⁴, and if an egg has already been released, conception could occur.

So, there is a possibility that by the time you wake up to the "morning after," a new human life may have come into being. If that’s the case, when you take the Morning After Pill, it will cause a very early abortion.

The Morning After Pill cannot guarantee the prevention of pregnancy, nor does it protect you from sexually transmitted infections or diseases.

1. http://www.go2planb.com/ForConsumers/TakingPlanB/Default.aspx.
2. http://www.go2planb.com/ForConsumers/AboutPlanB/HowItWorks.aspx.
3. Moore, Keith L. and Persaud, T.V.N, The Developing Human, Clinically Oriented Embryology,6th Edition, W.B. Saunders Company; Copyright 1998, pages 2 & 3.
4. Speroff, L. and Fritz, M.A., Clinical Gynecological Endocrinology and Infertility, 7th Edition., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Copyright 2005, p. 235.

 Models used throughout for illustrative purposes only

© 2007 Focus on the Family, www.family.org
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