Plan B vs. Plan C: What's the Difference?

Plan B vs. Plan C: What's the Difference?

Plan B. Plan C. The abortion pill.

If you're worried about an unexpected pregnancy, all the names can get confusing fast. But Plan B and Plan C are two different medications used at different points.

Here's the simplest difference:

  • Plan B is an emergency contraception intended to help prevent pregnancy.
  • Plan C is a term commonly used for medication intended to end an existing pregnancy.

 

Not sure if you could already be pregnant? The Pregnancy Center of Dillon County offers free pregnancy confirmation in Dillon, SC. Text our nurses 24/7 at (843) 536-0002 with questions.

 

What Is Plan B?

Plan B is a type of emergency contraception intended to reduce the chance of pregnancy after sex. It contains levonorgestrel, a synthetic hormone that primarily works by delaying or preventing ovulation.

Timing matters. Plan B is intended to be taken as soon as possible, within 72 hours of unprotected sex, and is more effective before ovulation has occurred.

Plan B is not the same medication as the abortion pill. However, there is disagreement about whether it could have similar effects after fertilization.

Some medical research suggests that if an egg is still released and fertilized, Plan B could negatively affect the fertilized egg’s ability to attach to the uterus and continue developing.

 

That distinction may matter to you, particularly if you have personal concerns about when human life begins.

 

If you're unsure about taking Plan B, text our nurses for free at (843) 536-0002. We can help you better understand how it works, potential side effects and risks, and what questions you may want to ask before deciding what you're comfortable with.

 

What Is Plan C?

Plan C is a term commonly used to describe medication abortion, also known as the abortion pill.

Medication abortion is intended to end an existing pregnancy.

It typically involves two medications:

  • Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone needed for a pregnancy to continue.
  • Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract and empty.

The FDA-approved mifepristone regimen is approved for an intrauterine pregnancy through 10 weeks, or 70 days, from the first day of the last menstrual period. That detail makes it important to have confirmation on how far along your pregnancy really is before moving forward.

 

Get Personalized Answers Before Taking Plan B or Plan C

General information online can explain what Plan B and Plan C are. What the internet can't tell you is what applies to your situation.

If you're considering Plan B, you may have questions about when you ovulated, where you are in your cycle, how Plan B works, or whether you could already be pregnant.

If you're considering Plan C, you may have questions about how far along you are and what abortion information applies to your pregnancy.

You don't have to make a decision before talking with us. Our team can answer your questions, help you understand the information available, and talk through what may apply to your circumstances.

 

Prefer to Text? Talk with our nurses 24/7 at (843) 536-0002 or make a free appointment.

 

 

Sources
  1. American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG). Embryocidal Potential of Modern Contraceptives: AAPLOG Committee Opinion No. 7.
  2. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Plan B One-Step (1.5 mg levonorgestrel) Information.
  3. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Mifepristone Information.
  4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Emergency Contraception.
  5. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Medication Abortion Up to 70 Days of Gestation.