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Wondering if you could be pregnant? The most common pregnancy symptoms include[1]:

  • A missed period
  • Frequent urination
  • Fatigue
  • Morning sickness (can include noon and night)
  • Sore, swollen breasts
  • Increased hunger, food cravings, and aversions
  • Bloating
  • Mood swings
  • Constipation

Pregnancy symptoms can vary from person to person and even from pregnancy to pregnancy. 

It depends. Some people start to experience symptoms days after conception, while others don’t feel anything until weeks later[2].

You can take a pregnancy test as soon as you’ve missed your period. However, taking a test too soon may give you a false negative. Your pregnancy hormones may be too low and the test cannot detect them and claims you’re not pregnant when you are. You may want to wait at least a week after you’ve missed your period to get a more accurate result[4]. 

However, you can’t rely on a pregnancy test alone. An easy way to know for sure that you’re pregnant is to receive an ultrasound! 

We can answer your questions in person: Contact Us!

Even if you’re using protection, there’s always a chance that you could get pregnant. Perhaps you’ve turned to emergency contraception to avoid an unplanned pregnancy. 

But what happens if it fails? It’s important to understand your pregnancy options, so you can plan your next steps!

Emergency contraception (also known as the Morning-After Pill) lowers the risk of pregnancy by preventing or delaying ovulation, but may also interfere with implantation resulting in the death of the embryo[3][4]. The way it works depends upon where you are in your cycle. 

There are two common forms of emergency contraception: Progestin-only pill (Plan B One-Step®) and Ulipristal (ella®), a chemical cousin to mifepristone (part of the abortion pill protocol)[4][5].

Plan B is most effective when taken within the first three days after unprotected sex. Ella can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex. However, research suggests that emergency contraception tends to be less effective in women with higher BMIs[6]. 

It’s also important to know that emergency contraception should notbe used as a primary method of birth control.

Although they seem similar, emergency contraception and the abortion pill are not the same things. 

While emergency contraception may work to prevent conception, all forms have the potential to interfere with the embryo’s attachment to the uterus. This is not a contraceptive effect, meaning preventing conception, but embryocidal, resulting in the embryo’s death. The way it works depends on where you are in your cycle. 

On the other hand, the abortion pill always works to terminate the pregnancy and is the only one that can end a pregnancy once it is attached[3].

Sometimes, conception (also called fertilization) happens, and an embryo forms but the emergency contraception prevents it from implanting properly in the uterus, resulting in its death[3]. 

It’s a good idea to take a pregnancy test before taking any form of emergency contraception because you could be pregnant from prior sex.  

Common side effects of emergency contraception include[6]:

  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Cramps or abdominal pain 
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Breast tenderness
  • Delayed period (up to a week), heavier bleeding during your next period, or bleeding between periods

These side effects should be mild and only last a few days. However, if you experience significant lower abdominal pain after taking emergency contraception, contact your healthcare provider immediately to be evaluated for a possible ectopic pregnancy.

If your period is delayed for more than three to four weeks, you may be pregnant[7]. Consider scheduling a free pregnancy test and free ultrasound at Her Choices Pregnancy Services! 

If your results come back positive, don’t panic. Our compassionate team is here to help you explore all of your pregnancy options so that you can make an informed and empowered decision! We will do everything we can to equip you to take your next steps with confidence!

We can answer your questions in person: Contact Us!
The morning-after pill is a form of emergency contraception. Emergency contraception is any type of birth control used after unprotected intercourse or a known or suspected contraceptive failure (e.g. a broken condom) to attempt to prevent pregnancy. One of the most common ones is a pill called Plan B One-Step®. Your body and your health are important, so take time to make the best decision. Give us a call for a confidential discussion about your options.

Not as well as was originally advertised. It is intended for use within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse.1,2 Studies done since it was released over the counter, say that “it is more effective than nothing.”[5]

You can only become pregnant on certain days of the month — around the time that you ovulate. Taking the morning-after pill during a time when you cannot become pregnant needlessly exposes you to a large dose of hormones and costs you money.

If you are already pregnant from an earlier sexual encounter, taking the morning-after pill is of no value and may cause unpleasant side effects.4

To find out if you are pregnant, contact us. We can give you information and schedule a free pregnancy test appointment.

Taking Plan B One-Step® after fertilization has taken place may prevent the newly formed life from settling into the uterus and continuing to grow, which some consider a form of early abortion.[7],[8],[9]

Like any medication, risks and side effects are not the same for everyone who takes the morning-after pill. Plan B One-Step® can cause nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, heavier menstrual bleeding, and dizziness.8

Your body and health are important, so take time to make the best decision. Please contact us to ask your questions and have a confidential discussion about your options if you are pregnant.

NOTE: We offer accurate information about all your pregnancy options; however, we do not offer or refer for abortion services or emergency contraception. The information presented on this website is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice.

Sources

  1. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, March 8). 1st trimester pregnancy: What to expect. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20047208 
  2. Am I Pregnant? Early Symptoms of Pregnancy & When to Test. Cleveland Clinic. (2022, July 26). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9709-pregnancy-am-i-pregnant 
  3. Embryocidal Potential of Modern Contraceptives. AAPLOG. (2020, January 15). Retrieved from https://aaplog.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FINAL-CO-7-Embryocidal-Potential-of-Modern-Contraception-1.20.20.pdf
  4. Physician’s Desk Reference. (2023, April 13). Ella Drug summary: Mechanism of action. Retrieved from https://www.pdr.net/drug-summary/?drugLabelId=1278
  5. Saritha, F., Aiswarya, N., Aswath Kumar, R., & Dileep, K. V. (2023, February 3). Structural analysis and ensemble docking revealed the binding modes of selected progesterone receptor modulators. Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36752314/ 
  6. Morning-After Pill: Emergency Contraception & Side Effects. Cleveland Clinic. (2022, July 1). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23386-morning-after-pill 
  7. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, June 3). Morning-after pill. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/morning-after-pill/about/pac-20394730#  
  8.  
We can answer your questions in person: Contact Us!

ella® is a form of emergency contraception – a type of birth control to be used within five days after unprotected intercourse or suspected contraceptive failure (e.g. a broken condom) to attempt to prevent pregnancy.1 It is available by prescription only, and your doctor should rule out pregnancy before prescribing ella®.2

If ella® is taken as directed, it will reduce the chance of pregnancy, but it is not effective in every case.3,4

You can only become pregnant on certain days of the month — around the time that you ovulate. Taking ella® during a time when you cannot become pregnant needlessly exposes you to a new drug that has not been fully tested.5,6

To find out if you are pregnant, contact us. We can give you information and schedule a free pregnancy test appointment.

Taking ella® after fertilization has taken place may prevent the newly formed life from settling into the uterus and continuing to grow, which some consider a form of early abortion.7,8

There is something else to know about ella®. Unlike Plan B, ella® is a chemical cousin to the abortion pill Mifeprex™. Both have the ability to damage the embryo’s attachment to the uterus, causing its death.9

This effect on growing pregnancies was not tested in women, however a higher dose of ella® did cause abortions in pregnant animals, including monkeys, and carries the same potential in humans.10

Please contact us to get more information and to learn about side effects and risks. Your body and health are important, so take time to make the best decision.

NOTE: We offer accurate information about all your pregnancy options; however, we do not offer or refer for abortion services or emergency contraception. The information presented on this website is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice.