Why plan b fails

It only becomes somewhat concerning if it becomes a habit, because it means there might be a better birth control option out there for you. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

You start hormonal birth control right after taking Ella. You took Plan B during ovulation. You have more unprotected sex after you take EC. She has spent her career as a reporter and editor covering people's lives with a focus on wellness.

Zahra specializes in sexual, reproductive, and mental health, all with the goal of destigmatizing Read more. Topics emergency contraception contraception IUD plan b reproductive health. Sign up for our SELF Daily Wellness newsletter All the best health and wellness advice, tips, tricks, and intel, delivered to your inbox every day.

Enter your e-mail address. Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. But how many women know all this? While the leaflets for Levonelle and ellaOne explain that the medicines work by delaying ovulation, like any fine print, this information is easy to miss. The instructions also don't explicitly talk about the fact that effectiveness varies depending on your menstrual cycle.

So why aren't all women being given all the information when they're given the morning-after pill? She says she "followed all the right steps and did it straightaway. Harriet adds that she was told that the pill sometimes doesn't work but that the only risk factor mentioned to her was waiting too long to get hold of it. As she'd taken it within 24 hours, she didn't worry.

Around a week later, she found out she was pregnant. For Rachel, not knowing the morning-after pill could fail made her situation feel even more difficult. I ask Dr Cooper whether women are always told at the chemist or sexual health clinic that their menstrual cycle makes a difference to the morning-after pill's effectiveness. She adds that while chemists are usually very knowledgeable about how the morning-after pill works, "if it's busy, it might not be gone into in all that detail".

She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters. Catch her on Twitter. We break down misconceptions, explain what to expect with each type, and share where to best access a legal abortion wherever you are in the United…. Here are your…. When it comes to emergency contraception, there can be a lot of confusion. Natural Cycles and other fertility awareness apps can be an effective way to prevent pregnancy.

Our review explains what you need to know. There are alternatives. Thinking about using the birth control ring? Annovera is one of your options — here's how to decide whether it's right for you. You may have noticed both weight loss and gain listed as a side effect of some birth control.

But is there a type for loss or maintaining your weight? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Carolyn Kay, M. Is there anything else you can do during ovulation to prevent pregnancy? Mental Health. More Button Icon Circle with three vertical dots. It indicates a way to see more nav menu items inside the site menu by triggering the side menu to open and close.

Ashley Laderer. Our stories are reviewed by medical professionals to ensure you get the most accurate and useful information about your health and wellness. For more information, visit our medical review board. But it might be less effective if you are ovulating, or have unprotected sex after taking Plan B.

It is also less effective for women over pounds — if this is the case, try a pill like Ella. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Ashley Laderer is a freelance writer from New York who specializes in health and wellness.