Plan B is a birth control pill which has levonorgestrel as its active ingredient. It prevents ovulation, or the release of an egg from the ovary, during a sexual intercourse. Plan B is considered as an emergency contraception, or the so- called “morning-after pill.” In 2011, its drug manufacturer Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Limited won a court battle that enabled it to sell Plan B without prescription to women aged 15 years and older.

Plan B is used for preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex, or when other forms of birth control like condom breakage prove to be ineffective. If taken within 72 hours after an unprotected sexual intercourse, the pill is 89% effective in preventing pregnancy. If taken within 24 hours, the pill is 95% successful. However, this pill is not intended as the main form of birth control. It should only be treated as a back-up contraceptive, which explains its name- Plan B. The pill is recommended for women who don’t want to get pregnant but engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse. It is also ideal for women who were forced to have sex, as well for those who think their birth control might not have worked.

Plan B Cost Information

The cost of Plan B tablets vary depending on the store that sells it. The price of a package containing one Plan B tablet may range from $35 to $50. However, it can be purchased at a lower price from online stores by presenting an appropriate discount coupon or code. Because it is now an over-the-counter medication, insurers may not cover it as health care rules state that only contraceptive methods prescribed by doctors are eligible for reimbursement.