What’s the Difference Between Plan B and the Abortion Pill?
Are you experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms? A late period, tender breasts, and nausea can all be signs. If your pregnancy was totally unexpected, you may be thinking about either Plan B or the abortion pill. Is there a difference?
Plan B vs. the Abortion Pill
Plan B
Plan B is also known as the “morning-after” pill. It is considered an emergency contraceptive, but should never be used as a regular form of contraception. Plan B works to delay or prevent ovulation and fertilization. However, it’s not effective if an egg has already been fertilized.
According to the National Institute of Health, the morning-after pill doesn’t stop pregnancy if it’s taken on the day of ovulation or after ovulation. Since the actual date of ovulation is difficult to determine, there’s no guarantee that Plan B will work.
Plan B may not be effective if you’re overweight or obese, allergic to any of its ingredients or taking certain other medications.
Abortion Pill
The abortion pill is a medication method of abortion. It isn’t just one pill. The process actually uses two very powerful drugs, mifepristone, and misoprostol. The first drug, mifepristone, works to block a hormone called progesterone. This drug causes the uterine lining to thin and prevents the embryo from implanting and growing.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes the uterus to contract and expel the embryo through the vagina. This abortion method can only be used up to the 10th week of pregnancy.
Side Effects of Both
Side Effects for Plan B Include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Breast tenderness
- Bleeding between periods or heavier menstrual bleeding
- Lower abdominal pain or cramps
Side Effects for the Abortion Pill:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing unwanted pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
How We Can Help You
If you suspect you are unexpectedly pregnant, First Care Pregnancy Center is your best first step. We provide free lab-quality urine pregnancy testing that is 99% accurate. If the test is positive, First Care provides free limited ultrasounds to help you confirm a viable pregnancy, detect a fetal heartbeat, and estimate how far along you are based on fetal measurements.
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