As more women learn about Plan B^®, they may come to you — their pharmacist — for more information. Here are some suggested key messages to communicate to patients:

• When things don’t go as planned, and your regular birth control fails, emergency contraception (EC) is a safe, effective way to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.



• Plan B^® is a backup, or emergency method, of contraception and should not be used as a regular birth control method. Taking Plan B^® before you have unprotected sex will not protect you from getting pregnant. Plan B^® is an EC and should be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure to help prevent an unplanned pregnancy.



• Plan B^® does not protect you against HIV infection — the virus that causes AIDS — or any other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The best way to protect against HIV infection or other STDs is by correctly using a condom



• Plan B^® is not the same as RU-486 (the abortion pill). Plan B^® works like  birth control pill to prevent an unplanned pregnancy after a single act of unprotected sex.



• If you take Plan B^® accidentally after you are already pregnant, it will not affect your pregnancy.



• You only have a few days to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. The first Plan B^® tablet should be taken as soon as possible within 3 days (72 hours) of unprotected sex. The second Plan B^® tablet should be taken 12 hours later.



• You may experience menstrual changes after taking Plan B^®. Your period may be heavier or lighter, earlier or later. If your period is more than 1 week late, you may be pregnant.



• You may experience nausea when taking Plan B^®. If you vomit within 1 hour of taking a Plan B^® tablet, call your healthcare professional to see if you should take a replacement dose.

Encourage patients to visit this Web site for more information on Plan B^® and EC. You can also provide patients with a patient education brochure on Plan B^®. You may download patient education materials here, or order them from the Plan B^® Information Center by calling the toll-free number, 1-800-330-1271.

View Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information.