Can You Take The Morning After Pill "Too Many" Times? - Refinery29

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from Birth Control NewsADVERTISEMENTCan You Take The Morning After Pill "Too Many" Times?Cory StiegDecember 20, 2018, 4:20 PM photographed by Megan Madden.Whether it was your high school gym teacher during sex ed, a know-it-all friend, or a rogue internet message board, many of us have been warned that you shouldn't take emergency contraception too much, because it'll eventually make you infertile. Tons of people rely on emergency contraception pills, like Plan B or ella, to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. But is this scary myth actually true?First, it's important to understand how the "morning after pill" actually works. Emergency contraception pills contain hormones that stop or delay ovulation in order to prevent pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). Some pills contain one hormone, progestin, while others contain a combination of estrogen and progestin. You can buy emergency contraception pills in the family planning section of drugstores, and you typically don't need a prescription.AdvertisementADVERTISEMENTTechnically, you're not supposed to use emergency contraception as a long-term form of birth control, according to ACOG. Using emergency contraception all the time is simply not as effective as using a birth control method, such as the pill or an intrauterine device, consistently. Not to mention, buying emergency contraception all the time would be super expensive compared to getting a birth control prescription. Given the high levels of hormones in the pills, taking them repeatedly could lead to uncomfortable side effects, like headaches, nausea, or bleeding.That said, you can use emergency contraception pills more than one time during your menstrual cycle and it should still work fine, according to the ACOG. There haven't really been any studies that focus on the long-term effects of using emergency contraception pills frequently, but the likelihood of any serious health problems occurring is pretty low. If anything, it could potentially make your period irregular, which is not ideal if you're trying to avoid pregnancy. And again, given that birth control tends to be more effective than emergency contraception pills, it's riskier to count on emergency methods.As for the myth that emergency contraception pills will make you infertile? There's no scientific evidence that emergency contraception affects your fertility at all. So, you can go tell your source that they're ill-informed — and then perhaps educate them on the benefits of using a more consistent birth control method.AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT RelationshipsI Use Romantasy Books As “Masturbation Material” — Is That Healthy?It’s 2 a.m. and the enemies in my new romantasy book have just turned into lovers — and it’s turning me on more than I expected. This is part of a faby Rebecca FearnOnline DatingReddit’s Dirtiest Pick-Up Lines Will Make You BlushWe’re all familiar with “Hey baby, what’s your sign?” and “If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.” But what about… diby Erika W. SmithWellness6 Signs You Just Had An OrgasmYou might have heard an orgasm described as a vaginal sneeze or called “la petite mort” — French for “the little death.” Others might describe orby Erika W. SmithAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTRelationshipsDating Is So Bleak, Even The Anxious Girlies Are Becoming AvoidantAre you anxious, avoidant or secure? What’s rarely discussed is whether people can switch from one camp to another. People wear their “anxious” labelby Tanyel MustafaSexThe Sexual Hygiene Habit You Should Never SkipThere are two rules that anyone having anal sex has hopefully heard before: First, always use lube; second, don’t go straight from anal sex to vaginaby Cory StiegBodyIf Your Vulva Is Tingling, This Might Be WhyDepending on the situation, your vulva can sometimes feel wet, itchy, burning, or swollen. Sometimes a new feeling in your vagina is the result of a healthby Erika W. SmithSex17 Steamy & Free Erotic Literature Sitesby Kasandra BrabawSexThe Kama Sutra Sex Positions You Didn’t Know Existedby Lux AlptraumSexWhat To Do When Doggy Style Sex Gets UncomfortableDoggy style is one of the most universally popular sex positions, at least according to both online surveys and Google search data. It requires no flexibilby Cory StiegRelationshipsWhat To Say If You Get Tongue-Tied During Phone Sexby Cory StiegSexOut Of Sexting Ideas? Try Theseby Kimberly TruongSex21 Steamy Erotic Stories Written By Women — & Why They’re Importantby Rachel Kramer BusselAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT