Does the morning after pill make you infertile?

[Anonymous]

If you take the morning after pill too often can that somehow mess up your body to where you can't have children. I am talking about using it ten times or more?

[ravvo99]

As much as people would want to associate any random occurance of an issue like infertility on a convenient scapegoat, its usually exactly that: a scapegoat. It is pretty much accepted that while plan b plays some unique tricks on your uterus and your cycle, it also is completely safe within the context of a handful of times.

ten is totally within the "handful" rule as long as its not like, 10 in 12 months. or more than 3 times in 2 months.

Really, if we're gonna be simple here, plan B is an emergency plan. You should never hesitate to use it and it will almost certainly never hurt you short or long term as long as you respect common sense and rules of protection enough to make plan b be an infequent part of your life.

The way plan B works is it pretty much is just a 4 fold dose of regular birth control. birth control itself works by giving your body estrogen (which has the sole purpose of allowing you to have a period in the context of the drugs, the estrogen itself has very little to do with fertility) while depriving you of progesterone (which does drive your fertility in a few different ways). The progesterone is what keeps you from getting pregnant, while the estrogen is only there so that once you stop taking it (sugar pill days) your uterus goes "oh sh*t, no more estrogen" and flushes out its contents. Plan B assumes you have conceived already, so playing with progesterone is pointless. Instead it is basically a gigantic estrogen pill. You spike your estrogen really high so that when you go back to regular levels in a few hours your uterus thinks it is (comparatively) no estrogen and flushes out the uterus. A barren uterus cannot support any life.

as a side note: pay attention to how plan b works. now think about this. it takes 7 days for a fertilized egg to reach the uterus and implant. Then another 4 or 5 days for it to develop enough to actually "support itself". Which means that Plan B is definitely effective up to 7 days, and up to 12 days after sex. This is backed by plenty of studies on this. So why do you always hear that you need to take it within 72 hours? Because it is *possible* but very unlikely for a conception to reach the uterus by day 4. At which point very strict interpretation of what constitutes "life" would make Plan B an "abortion" not a "contraception". This 72 hour nonsense you hear is 100% political and 0% science. Its sad.

Though, you can always use RU486. AKA: the abortion pill. Its a terrible experience but it works. But that drug DOES have a small but significant rate of long term damage. So that is *truly* the last ditch option.

[jacquesvol]

You question is interesting. The morning after pill (Plan B) has some side effects indeed.

I did some research at reliable (trustworthy) sites:

First step:

-Infertility is NOT mentioned among its side effects in Wikipedia

Read here: link

More specialized:

-Not at Princeton university either: link

Scientific paper from Princeton: link

I did a full reader search on this paper.

Professional information:

-The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) clearly states clearly:

I quote:

________________________________

Fertility Following Discontinuation

A rapid return of fertility is likely following treatment with Plan B One-Step for emergency contraception; therefore, routine contraception should be continued or initiated as soon as possible following use of Plan B One-Step to ensure ongoing prevention of pregnancy.

...

Fertility: There are NO irreversible effects on fertility following cessation of exposures to levonorgestrel or progestins in general.

Read more here: link

(you have to scroll quite a bit down)

_____________________

All this is clear cut, you can be appeased concerning possible infertility from the morning after pill.

Plan B will upset your hormonal balance for a short time. It is an emergency contraception, intended to be used only when necessary, NOT as habitual contraception, because of the hormonal imbalance (giving discomfort) it may cause.

Of course, on the Internet, anti Plan B activists (they exist) can spread all kinds of unfounded rumors.

This is why you do better some research at serious sources.

If you read the contrary coming from well reputed medical authorities I would be interested to read it too.

You can send me the link by Personal Message. I will then verify its origin.

I hope this helps you. (it's 0:21 AM over here: time to go to bed ;-) )

[Sunshiine]

It actually can- I know a girl who has been trying for over 3 years after only taking it ONCE and developed PCOS because of it.

I developed PCOS from taking depo shot for a year- 8 years ago.

Plan B is NOT birth control.

[candlewax]

And that is why I have avoided the shot, as convenient as it is. I'm on the ring and I'm A-okay with it. I've heard so many horror stories about Depo.You hear it with other BC as well, but they're not as scary. My friend got off Depo, went on the patch, screwed the cycle up by not changing, and didn't have a period for 7 months. When she finally did, it was like 5 periods in one. She was on depo way too long, though. Hair was thinning out and everything. Ew.

[Sunshiine]

I haven't had a period on my own in 6 years! I was stupid at 17 and wanted to hide it from my mom- so depo was the way to go- they didn't have all the info out then, otherwise I would have NEVER touched the stuff. The first year off of it- I bled for that whole year then it stopped and just never came back. It's been 8 years and after 8 years of fighting for a diagnosis I got one in May - PCOS induced by the Depo Shot. All my periods are induced via Provera and I do not ovulate.

[candlewax]

TEN times? Why the freaking a would you use it that many times? Condom usage fail for sure. Stop having sex if this is you.

[Asker]

No it isn't me I have personally only have taken it 4 times in the past 3 years. It was a girlfriend I used to have that used it way more than ten times she was a bit of a wild child if that's what you want to call it.

[candlewax]

Ew. How irresponsible. Plan B can get expensive, too.