Bleeding after taking the morning after pill

Emergency contraception is a birth control method to prevent pregnancy in women. It can be used:

Emergency contraception

Emergency contraception is a birth control method to prevent pregnancy in women. It can be used:

• After a sexual assault or rape
• When a condom breaks or a diaphragm slips out of place
• When a woman forgets to take birth control pills
• When you have sex and do not use any birth control
• When any method of birth control is not used correctly

Information

Emergency contraception most likely prevents pregnancy in the same way as regular birth control pills:

• By preventing or delaying the release of an egg from a woman’s ovaries
• By preventing the sperm from fertilizing the egg

The two ways you may receive emergency contraception are by:

• Using pills that contain a man-made (synthetic) form of the hormone progesterone called progestins. This is the most common method.
• Having an IUD placed inside the uterus.

CHOICES FOR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

Two emergency contraceptive pills may be bought without a prescription.

• Plan B One-Step is a single tablet.
• Next Choice is taken as 2 doses. Both pills can be taken at the same time or as 2 separate doses 12 hours apart.
• Either may be taken for up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse.

Ulipristal acetate (Ella) is a new type of emergency contraception pill. You will need a prescription from a health care provider.

• Ulipristal is taken as a single tablet.
• It may be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex.

Birth control pills may also be used:

• Talk to your provider about the correct dosage.
• In general, you must take 2 to 5 birth control pills at the same time to have the same protection.

IUD placement is another option:

• It must be inserted by your provider within 5 days of having unprotected sex. The IUD that is used contains a small amount of copper.
• Your provider can remove it after your next period. You may also choose to leave it in place to provide ongoing birth control.

MORE ABOUT EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS

Women of any age can buy Plan B One-Step and Next Choice at a pharmacy without a prescription or visit to a provider.

Emergency contraception works best when you use it within 24 hours of having sex. However, it may still prevent pregnancy for up to 5 days after you first had sex.

You should not use emergency contraception if:

• You think you have been pregnant for several days.
• You have vaginal bleeding for an unknown reason (talk to your provider first).

Emergency contraception may cause side effects. Most are mild. They may include:

• Changes in menstrual bleeding
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting

After you use emergency contraception, your next menstrual cycle may start earlier or later than usual. Your menstrual flow may be lighter or heavier than usual.

• Most women get their next period within 7 days of the expected date.
• If you do not get your period within 3 weeks after taking emergency contraception, you might be pregnant. Contact your provider.

Sometimes, emergency contraception does not work. However, research suggests that emergency contraceptives have no long-term effects on the pregnancy or developing baby.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTS

You may be able to use emergency contraception even if you cannot regularly take birth control pills. Talk to your provider about your options.

Emergency contraception should not be used as a routine birth control method. It does not work as well as most types of birth control.

Alternative Names

Morning-after pill; Postcoital contraception; Birth control – emergency; Plan B; Family planning – emergency contraception

Images

• Intrauterine device
• Side sectional view of female reproductive system
• Hormone-based contraceptives
• Birth control methods

References

Allen RH, Huguenin A, Hickey M, Kaunitz AM. Hormonal contraception. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Rosen CJ, Kopp PA, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 15th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 16.

Rivlin K, Davis AR. Contraception and abortion. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 13.

Winikoff B, Grossman D. Contraception. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 220.

Review Date 3/31/2024

Updated by: LaQuita Martinez, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Alpharetta, GA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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06/01/2025

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Bleeding after taking the morning after pill

First things first: the morning after pill is safe to use and has no long term effects on your health, including your fertility. Most people won’t experience side effects from the morning after pill, and for those that do, they are mild and short lived. According to the NHS¹, common side effects of the morning after pill can include:

• Headache
• Stomach ache
• Changes to your period: it can be heavier, lighter, earlier, later or more painful than usual
• Nausea or vomiting – vomiting can reduce the effectiveness of the morning after pill. You will need to take another dose if you’ve vommed within 2 hours of taking levonorgestrel and 3 hours of taking ellaOne. Or, consider having a copper IUD fitted

All of these side effects are temporary. Changes to your menstrual cycle after using the morning after pill are common as it delays ovulation, which will alter the timing of your natural cycle. This should only affect your next period, after which, your cycle will return to normal.

Can the morning after pill make you bleed?

Some people do report light bleeding (that isn’t caused by their usual menstrual cycle) or spotting when using the morning after pill. One study looked at bleeding patterns after using the levonorgestrel morning after pill, like Plan B.² Of 232 participants 14% experienced irregular bleeding as well as changes in menstrual cycle length, period length and menstrual appearance compared to what was normal for them.²

Bleeding may be because the lining of the womb sheds irregularly following a one off dose of the synthetic hormone in the pill, which can lead to bleeding and spotting.³

It’s important to remember that the morning after pill is NOT an abortion pill (abortifacient), so any bleeding that occurs after taking the pill is not due to miscarriage. The morning after pill delays ovulation – and without ovulation, you can’t get pregnant.

If you do find yourself bleeding, Modibodi or WUKA period pants are a great item to be able to put on and feel reassured that any bleeding isn’t visible!

Bleeding a week after taking the morning after pill

As we know, light spotting and bleeding after the morning after pill is common and should last a few days at most. If the bleeding continues for more than a week you should get some medical advice.

The morning after pills are also known to cause irregular bleeding so this could be why you’re experiencing some bleeding a week after. They can also interfere with your period so alternatively, it could be your period coming early, late or on time.

Heavy bleeding after the morning after pill

If you do experience heavy bleeding or prolonged bleeding after using Levonorgestrel, Levonelle, LoviOne, Ezinelle, Plan B or ellaOne, speak to your healthcare provider as there may be another underlying cause.

Any bleeding lasting more than a week, soaking through pads or with clots should be looked at by a medical professional!

Can the morning after pill cause spotting?

It’s not uncommon to experience irregular spotting after taking the morning after pill, but this should only be temporary and last until your next period². 21% of Lowdown reviewers said they experienced spotting after using the morning after pill, and 25% reported no change at all. If you experience spotting or bleeding that’s heavy, excessive or doesn’t stop, speak to your GP.

Is bleeding after the morning after pill my period?

Due to the extra hormones in your system, a regular side effect is light spotting or bleeding. This is not the same as your period. This type of bleeding is generally light and lasts a few days. As we know during a period, you bleed for around 5-7 days and lose about 50-80 ml of blood.

Does bleeding after the morning after pill mean it worked?

If you have spotting or bleeding after using the morning after pill, or have a period, this does not automatically mean that you are not pregnant. Likewise, as the morning after pill can make your next period later than usual, don’t assume that it hasn’t worked if your period hasn’t arrived!

How to tell if the morning after pill has worked

It’s best to take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after you use the morning after pill to see if it’s worked, instead of relying on your period alone. Pregnancy tests are 98-99% accurate and can give you a more definitive answer if you are pregnant or not. You can buy a Clearblue pregnancy test from Amazon to be sure (this is an affiliate link).

Likewise, as the morning after pill can make your next period later than usual, don’t assume that it hasn’t worked if your period hasn’t arrived!