With multiple types of emergency contraceptive (EC) pills available, it may be confusing as the one to choose – especially if the option is the brand-name Plan B vs. its generic versions. In this blog, we will guide you about if you must buy Plan B online or a generic emergency contraceptive pill instead.
What Is Plan B and How Does Emergency Contraception Work?
A Plan B is an emergency contraceptive medicine. It prevents a pregnancy from taking place after an unprotected intercourse. This medication is a backup plan to when the regular birth control fails or is missed. So, before you purchase Plan B online, know how it works and other details:
Active Component: This pill contains 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel, a synthetic progestin – FDA approved for oral contraception needs.
Medicine Format: It is available as a single dose pill over-the-counter, which is why women prefer it even more.
Function: The medicine’s role is to delay or suppress ovulation even when the luteinizing hormone (LH) is at surge. As a result, the ovaries do not mature properly to release an egg. So, if a sperm is in the reproductive tract, it does not find an egg to fertilize. The activity stops a pregnancy from happening.
What Are Generic Emergency Contraceptive Pills?
When you are looking to buy Plan B online, you may also find other identical alternatives – usually the generic variants. So, how do these differ from the brand counterpart? Let’s find out:
Bioequivalence: A generic medicine is equal in effectiveness, ingredients, action mechanism, dosage, and other essentials.
Patent Expiry: The pharmaceutical companies gain legal permission to replicate the formula once the brand’s patent expires.
Legal Parameters: After the legal clearance, the manufacturer must strictly follow the healthcare standards so that the generic emergency contraceptive pill remains bioequivalent to the reference brand.
Plan B vs. Generic Emergency Contraceptive Pills: Key Differences
Learn between the key difference between the two mentioned to determine to purchase Plan B online, or its generic pill:
Ingredients and Effectiveness: Both generic EC and Plan B contain the same active ingredients. They must be taken within 72 hours of an unprotected intercourse to reduce the risk of getting pregnancy by 87-89%. When the medications are used in the initial 24 hours, the effectiveness is higher to 95%. If ovulation has already occurred beforehand, the medicine may not work as needed.
Cost Comparison: The significant difference is the product’s cost. The Plan B brand medication will cost higher than the generic variant. This is because the former spent much effort in bringing the medicine to the market, compared to the manufacturers who had the research and other necessities available to simply reproduce the alternative.
Safety Profile: Since the key ingredients are the same, any of the options is safe. None pose a higher risk to side effects or complications.
Availability in the USA: You can buy Plan B online and generic EC pills in the United States for any of its locations. This medicine is also available at clinics, retail pharmacies, and telehealth platforms.
Who Should You Choose Plan B or a Generic Alternative?
Deciding if you must purchase Plan B online or a generic alternative may involve some reasoning as below:
Weigh the Choices: If you want a reliable emergency contraceptive pill, and do not mind spending on the product cost, you may opt for Plan B. If you want to lower the spending and yet attain similar effectiveness, you may choose the generic option.
Precautions: However, these pills may have a lowered effectiveness in people weighing greater than 165 pounds or with a body mass index (BMI) of over 25. In this case, you may choose a copper IUD instead.
Alternatively: Or, if 72 hours have passed since the unprotected intercourse, you may look for Ella – ulipristal acetate as it stays effective for 120 hours rather than just 72 hours to prevent a pregnancy.
How to Buy Plan B Online Safely in the USA?
Here are a few tips to help you buy Plan B online in the United States, safely:
Trusted Pharmacy: Look for virtual pharmacies or telehealth outlets that are verified and authorized to provide medicines in the United States. Go through the customer reviews, website credentials, and reliability checks before choosing the pharmacy.
Determine Authenticity: You may purchase Plan B online but when doing so, check if 1.5 mg levonorgestrel is listed as the ingredient, an expiry date is mentioned, and the Lot Number is printed along.
Secure Access and Checkout: As you proceed to purchase Plan B online or its generic alternative, make sure the platform’s URL starts with ‘https’. Check for anything suspicious, like overly low prices and too many pop-up external advertisements on page, unsecure payment channels, etc.
What to Expect After Taking Plan B or a Generic Emergency Contraceptive Pill?
Here is what to expect after taking an emergency contraceptive pill:
Common Side Effects: After you buy Plan B online, the body may take some time to adjust to the new medicine. This can lead to temporary and mild side effects lasting for 24-48 hours like fatigue, dizziness, headache, lower abdominal cramping, nausea, or breast tenderness.
Changes in Next Menstrual Period: As Levonorgestrel disrupts the natural order of hormonal cycle, the next menstrual period may arrive a few days late or early. Also, the flow could be heavier or lighter than usual.
When to Take a Pregnancy Test: While an EC pill is effective, it is not a 100% preventive of pregnancy. Take a pregnancy test at home after three weeks of unprotected sexual intercourse, or your period is delayed by over a week of taking the pill.
Warning Signs to Watch For: Contact a doctor immediately if severe vomiting occurs in 2 hours of taking the pill, one-sided pain in the pelvic region, or if you encounter continued severe lower abdomen pain that is not relieved by a painkiller.
Common Myths About Plan B and Generic Emergency Contraceptive Pills
Before you continue to buy Plan B online, do go through the common myths associated, and the relevant facts:
Does Plan B Cause an Abortion?
No, the EC pill does not cause a pregnancy termination. Its role is to prevent fertilization from taking place to prevent a pregnancy. However, if fertilization and implantation have occurred i.e. an active pregnancy, the Plan B or its general version, cannot work as an abortion pill.
Can You Take Plan B More Than Once?
You can use Plan B pill more than once during emergencies. However, do not take it as a replacement to daily birth control pills or regular contraception methods.
Does Emergency Contraception Affect Future Fertility?
The Plan B and other EC pills do not impact your fertility for a long-term. Once the Levonorgestrel clears from the body, fertility returns to normal.
Final Thoughts: Should You Buy Plan B Online or Choose a Generic Alternative?
Whether you buy Plan B online or its generic version, the choice is yours and subjective to your budget for the medication. While both are effective, understand the action mechanism, side effects, precautions, and other considerations so that you make an informed choice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Study the common FAQs as you buy Plan B online or a generic EC pill:
1.Is it safe to buy Plan B online in the USA?
Yes, you can purchase emergency contraceptive pills in the USA safely from a licensed pharmacy. Make sure to order FDA-approved medicines alone.
2.Is generic Plan B as effective as the brand-name Plan B One-Step?
Yes, generic Plan B is effective as the brand-name medication as they contain the exact ingredient and quantity i.e. 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel. Also, these are bioequivalent to Plan B.
3.Can I purchase Plan B online without a prescription?
You can order the EC pills over-the-counter without the need of prescription, be it online or from a physical pharmacy.
4.How soon should I take Plan B after unprotected sex?
The best protection is expected when you use Plan B within 24 hours of unprotected intercourse. If not, do not delay in consuming the medicine over 72 hours.
5.What are the most common side effects of Plan B pills?
The common side effects are mild headache, nausea, fatigue, abdominal cramping, and changes in the next menstrual period date and flow.
