What are the Chances of Pregnancy with Plan B?

Published: January 03, 2017
Dear TeenHealhFX,
I had unprotected sex with a girl and she is not on birth control. I didn't cum and she took plan b about 36 hours later, what are the chances that she got pregnant?
Signed: What are the Chances of Pregnancy with Plan B?

Dear What are the Chances of Pregnancy with Plan B?,

Planned Parenthood offers the following information about the effectiveness of emergency contraception:

Levonogestrel pills, including the brands Plan B One-Step and Next Choice One Dose, are up to 89 percent effective when taken within 72 hours (three days) after unprotected sex. They continue to reduce the risk of pregnancy up to 120 hours (five days) after unprotected sex, but they are less effective as time passes.

Planned Parenthood also presents these two important points about EC:

The morning-after pill will not prevent pregnancy for any unprotected sex you may have after taking the pills.

Levonogestrel pills may not work as well if your Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 25. The IUD or ella are better options if you're overweight and need emergency contraception.

 

If you did not ejaculate during sex, the chances of pregnancy occurring are less than if you had ejaculated during vaginal intercourse. However, there are sperm in pre-ejaculatory fluids, so it is possible for pregnancy to occur is pre-ejaculatory fluids (“pre-cum”) come into contact with the vagina.

 

TeenHealthFX suggests the following:

  • If this girl does not get her period when expected, she should take a pregnancy test and/or meet with her primary care physician, gynecologist, or an adolescent medicine specialist.
  • In the future, remember to always use a condom when having intercourse. A condom will help to prevent unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of STDs. Ideally your partner would also be on a back-up method of birth control, such as the pill or birth control shot. But it is important to use a condom whether your partner says she is or isn’t on the pill. For one thing, the pill does not provide any protection against STDs. Secondly, the person may not be telling the truth about being on the pill and it is important for you to protect yourself from having to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.
  • Check out our Resource of the Month: Planned Parenthood Resources on Safer Sex. You can find links to information about sexual readiness, birth control, STDs, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception and more. The more educated you are about issues related to sexual health, the more you are likely to make healthy choices when it comes to your sexual health.   

 

If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist or contact your local teen health center or Planned Parenthood. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.

Signed: TeenHealhFX

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