What are the side effects of the morning-after pill?
STEVEN SPANDORFER, MD: As anybody who has taken just a regular birth control pill knows, one pill can make you feel nauseous. So when you’re all of a sudden taking double that dose a few times over, you can feel very nauseated. In fact, a lot of patients will feel too nauseated to take the second dose. Some patients may want to take an anti-nausea medication. Twenty-five percent of women who take the morning-after pill experience vomiting, which can reduce the pill’s effectiveness. MARGARET POLANECZKY, MD: The good news is that there is a new form of morning-after pill, called Plan B, which is progesterone only. We know that this method has a much lower incidence of nausea and vomiting, around 10 percent, and may actually be more effective. It’s available through the Emergency Contraception Hotline Providers, and will hopefully soon be available in pharmacies. Q: How much does emergency contraception cost? MARGARET POLANECZKY, MD: It’s around twenty dollars, and you need a prescription
