Plan B® was approved by the FDA in July 1999. It is the only approved progestin-only (levonorgestrel) EC. Plan B® is different from other EC formulations — such as the Yuzpe regimen (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) — in that it contains no estrogen and has demonstrated a superior safety profile. It is also important to note that Plan B® is not RU-486 (the abortion pill) and it will not affect an existing pregnancy. Unlike RU-486, Plan B® works like a birth control pill by preventing ovulation and/or fertilization. In addition, it may also inhibit implantation.
Simply put, Plan B® gives women a second chance. When taken as directed within 72 hours after contraceptive failure, unprotected sex, or sexual assault, it reduces the risk of pregnancy by up to 89%. In fact, studies show that Plan B® is effective when taken within 72 hours and is more effective when taken within 24 hours.1
>> How Plan B® works
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