Levonorgestrel “Morning-After” Pill. Emergency contraceptive pills that use leveonorgestrel are available under the names Plan B One-Step, Plan B, or Next Choice: Depending on the brand, they are available as either one or two pills:

• Single pill (Plan B One-Step). Approved in 2009, Plan B One-Step is a single tablet that contains 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel.
• Two pills (Plan B, Next Choice). Plan B is taken as two doses that each contain 0.75 mg of levonorgestrel. Next Choice is the generic version of Plan B. Both pills can be taken at the same time, or as two separate doses 12 hours apart.
• The levonorgestrel morning-after pill can be taken up to 3 days (72 hours) after unprotected sex. The pill is most effective the sooner it is taken. It is most effective within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex.

All of the above pills are available over-the-counter (without a prescription) to women 17 years and older. Women younger than 17 years need a prescription from a doctor.

Side effects of Plan B/Next Choice may include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Lower abdominal pain
• Headaches
• Dizziness and fatigue
• Breast tenderness
• Fluid retention
• Changes in the timing or flow of the woman's next menstrual period including a period that is heavier or lighter than normal

Ulipristal “Morning-After” Pill. In 2010, the FDA approved ella, a new type of morning-after pill that contains the antiprogestin drug ulipristal acetate. Ella can be taken up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected intercourse and works just as well on the first day as the fifth day. Side effects are similar to those of levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pills. Ella is available only by prescription.

Emergency Contraceptive IUD

An alternative emergency contraceptive is insertion of a copper-releasing intrauterine device (IUD) within 5 days (120 hours) of unprotected intercourse. It can be removed after the woman's next period, or left in place to provide ongoing contraception. The copper IUD reduces the risk of pregnancy by 99.9%.

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Review Date: 09/28/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)