Birth Control Guide: Guide to Pills, IUDs & Side Effects

Choosing the right form of birth control involves weighing the advantages of IUDs against the pill, while managing side effects like nausea and spotting.

woman in bed holding belly suffering menstrual period pain

Side Effects Days After Plan B

Published Aug,14 2017 | By Shira Goldenholz

Plan B, also known as the “morning after pill,” is actually two pills that contain the hormone levonorgestrel. The first pill is taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex; the second pill is taken 12 hours later. A newer formulation--Plan B OneStep--consists of one pill taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

Shira Goldenholz has been writing since 2001. She has edited a neurosciences coursebook and co-authored an article published in the "Journal of Child Neurology." She has contributed to a report on children's mental health and has written for an autism website. She holds a medical degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master in Public Health from Boston University.