I attended a Planned Parenthood parent information meeting last night and came away with some good information.  I recently blogged about ” It only takes once” to create an unplanned pregnancy.  Last night I found out more about a safety net for people who fear they might become pregnant due to the failure of their birth control method.

Plan B is two pills that can be taken up to 72 hours after the mishap with birth control occurs (condom broke, forgot a pill etc.).  They are most effective if taken right away.  One pill is taken as soon as possible and the other is taken 12 hours later.  The pills will not effect a pregnancy that has already occurred.  They work the same way birth control pills do only on an emergency basis.  (http://www.go2planb.com)

If you are 18 years or older you can get the pills over the counter at the pharmacy.  If you are 17 or younger you need a prescription.  You can go to Planned Parenthood or your regular doctor to get one.

This should not be used in place of regular birth control as it would not be as effective for long term contraceptive use.  It is however a great back up plan when your every effort at contraception has failed.

This is great to know since accidents and mishaps happen even to responsible adults.  If you are not ready for a baby or another baby make sure you know about all your options!  If Plan B is an option that is in line with your values it may be a good idea to have it on hand just in case.  It is better to prevent a an unwanted pregnancy from happening in the first place than to chance it, and deal with the consequences later!

Remember that you are amazing and worth loving, take care of yourself everyday!