Does take action levonorgestrel work?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Updated on February 27, 2026
It contains a progestin called levonorgestrel. It’s believed to work by preventing ovulation. Take Action is most effective in the first 24 hours. It gets less effective with each passing day.
Is take action levonorgestrel the same as Plan B?
Take Action is a levonorgestrel EC pill that works in the exact same way as Plan B. As well as stopping ovulation, these pills may prevent fertilization — where a sperm joins with an egg — and implantation. In fact, you could describe Take Action as Plan B without the branded label.
How long does a take action pill stay in your system?
Once ingested, it’s only effective for a maximum of about five days. After this amount of time, the hormones that were in the pill will have left the body.
How effective is levonorgestrel emergency contraception?
There are two types of emergency contraception pills – levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate (sold as EllaOne™). Both are available without a prescription. Emergency contraception pills are around 85 per cent effective in preventing an unintended pregnancy.
Can you still get pregnant after taking take action pill?
An estimated 0.6 to 2.6% of women who take the morning-after pill after unprotected sex will still get pregnant. What people know – and don’t know – about the morning-after pill has been brought into the spotlight after a Refinery29 writer shared her story of becoming pregnant despite taking emergency contraception.
How accurate is take action pill?
The Take Action pill is a type of emergency contraception that is supposed to prevent pregnancy. If you take it within 72 hours of unprotected sex, you have a 75% to 89% chance of it working.
How do you take the take action pill?
Take 1 tablet by mouth with or without food as soon as possible after unprotected sex. This medication works best when it is taken within 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex. If you vomit within 2 hours of taking this medication, contact your doctor to ask if you need to repeat the dose.
Does take action stop fertilization?
It is a progestin hormone that works mainly by preventing the release of an egg (ovulation) during your menstrual cycle. It also makes vaginal fluid thicker to help prevent sperm from reaching an egg (fertilization) and changes the lining of the uterus (womb) to prevent attachment of a fertilized egg.
Is morning-after pill OTC?
You can buy levonorgestrel morning-after pills over the counter without a prescription in most drugstores, pharmacies, and superstores. These types of morning-after pills work best when you take them within 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex, but you can take them up to five days after.
Does take action pill work during ovulation?
If you have sex on at the time you ovulate or after you ovulate, your emergency contraception pill won’t be effective (7). If you have unprotected sex again after you take the pill in the same cycle, it could also fail (7).
Is take action a safe emergency birth control option?
When used correctly, Take Action has been shown to be a safe emergency birth control choice for most women. The most common side effects of Take Action include: Changes in your menstrual cycle may also result from using Take Action. Using this morning-after pill may cause your next period to be heavier or lighter than it usually is.
What is levonorgestrel (the morning-after pill)?
Levonorgestrel, also known as the morning-after pill, is a first line oral emergency contraceptive pill that has approval from the World Health Organization to prevent pregnancy. It is FDA approved to be used within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or when a presumed contraceptive failure has occurred.
How does the take action morning-after pill work to prevent pregnancy?
The main way that the Take Action morning-after pill works to prevent pregnancy is by stopping you from ovulating, so Take Action basically prevents your ovary from releasing an egg. FDA guidelines require that all manufacturers of levonorgestrel morning-after pills must specify on the product labeling that emergency contraceptives may also work…
What are the side effects of take action birth control pills?
Side Effects. When used correctly, Take Action has been shown to be a safe emergency birth control choice for most women. The most common side effects of Take Action include: Changes in your period. Nausea. Abdominal (lower stomach) pain. Fatigue. Headaches.