What’s the Difference Between the Abortion Pill and Plan B?

The abortion pill and Plan B are medications used for very different reasons, though people often confuse the two. The abortion pill terminates an early pregnancy, while Plan B, or the “morning-after pill,” is used as an emergency contraceptive to prevent pregnancy after other forms of birth control have failed.

What Should I Know About Plan B?

Plan B must be used within 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy successfully. It is not, however, meant to be used as a regular form of contraception and can fail. Plan B also isn’t meant for everyone; if you’re taking certain medications or allergic to any part of the morning-after pill, you shouldn’t take the medication.

This drug can cause side effects, some of which may be unpleasant:

Nausea or vomiting
Dizziness
Fatigue
Headache
Breast tenderness
Bleeding between periods or heavier menstrual bleeding
Lower abdominal pain or cramps

Before taking this medication, research and ensure you understand the side effects of Plan B. To learn more, schedule a confidential consultation with us.

The Medical Abortion Procedure

Medical abortion ends an early-stage pregnancy that is already developing. The medications are taken during the first 70 days of pregnancy. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, and misoprostol causes uterine contractions and expels the pregnancy tissue through the vagina.

Side effects of medical abortion include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Chills
Diarrhea
Headache
Abdominal cramping
Vaginal bleeding

Side effects may range from mild to severe. There are also risks to medical abortion that you should know, such as:

Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
Heavy and prolonged bleeding
Infection
Fever
Digestive system discomfort

Before any abortion, you’ll want an obstetric ultrasound to confirm viability, gestational age, and pregnancy location. This will inform you of which abortion procedure you may be eligible for and possible conditions such as ectopic pregnancy.