There are several methods of contraception, but none is 100% effective. Still, you can take emergency contraception when you actually notice things have gone wrong. Taking Plan B is a great choice when you want to avoid unwanted pregnancy after having unprotected sex or other methods of protection fail. It works because the hormones in this pill are a lot higher than what you have in your regular oral contraceptives. The downside is that these pills can make you feel worse, and some of the most common side effects are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, and fatigue.

Can You Take Plan B While on Birth Control?

Yes, you can take emergency contraception like Plan B if you are on the pill. What you should bear in mind is that you have to continue taking your regular pill you normally would. It is, however, important to point out that you do not usually need to take Plan B if you are already taking the pill correctly. You require emergency contraception only if you have missed the pill.

What Do I Do If I Forget to Take the Pill?

Now you have the answer to your question, "Can you take Plan B while on birth control?" It is also important to understand what you should do if you forget to take your regular pill. You will have to proceed differently in case you are taking combination pill as compared to progestin-only pill.

Combination Pill

It is not uncommon for women to miss the pill at some time. However, you need to realize that the pill works effectively only if you take it on the same time, every day. If you forget to take combination pill, which contain both progestin and estrogen, you may need to use a backup birth control method to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Here is more about it:

• If you forget to take 1 hormone pill less than a day after your normal routine, you should take the pill as soon as possible and ensure that you continue to take the rest of the pills normally. It also means that you can take 2 pills in the same day. You do not require any backup birth control in this case.
• If you miss two or more pills and are in week 1 in the pill pack, you should only take the most recent missed pill and discard other missed pills. Continue with the rest of the pills as usual. You need to use backup birth control for at least 7 days.
• If you miss two or more pills and are in week 3 in the pill pack, take the most recent missed pill and discard any missed pill. You should start a new pack the next day. It is important to use backup birth control for 7 days.

Progestin-Only Pill

If you are taking progestin-only pill and forget to take it, you may end up becoming pregnant. In fact, you can become pregnant if you take it three hours after your regular time. Be sure to take that pill whenever you remember and take the next one at the usual time. Proceed in the usual way and take the rest of the pack on schedule. You should be using a backup birth control method for 48 hours after taking your last pill. The most common backup methods include female condom, male condom, sponge, diaphragm, and emergency contraception.

When to Use Plan B or Other Emergency Contraception

Women are often confused when it comes to taking emergency contraception, especially when they are also taking the regular pill. They often inquire, "Can you take Plan B while on birth control?" You already know that you can take EC when taking the pill, but there is no need to do that if you have not missed any of your regular contraceptive pills.

You may still want to take emergency contraception to ensure you do not have to deal with unwanted pregnancy after sex. There are different reasons why women use emergency contraception. For instance, they do it when:

• The condom breaks during sex.
• They start their birth control pills a week late.
• They have unprotected sex.
• They have sex without using birth control.
• They end up having sex when they were not expecting it.
• If you really think you need emergency contraception, you should take it immediately after having unprotected sex or else they will not be as effective as they should be.