Julie Medical Advisor
Late period or pregnant after morning-after pill?
If you’ve taken Julie or another morning-after pill and your period is late, you might be wondering: is this a side effect or am I pregnant? This is a super common question after taking Julie and there are a few different things that could be going on. Read on to learn more about delayed periods after taking Julie.
Does the Morning-After Pill Affect Your Period?
The morning-after pill, like Julie, can temporarily affect your period. In fact, changes to your cycle is one of the most common reported side effects of the morning-after pill. That’s because it contains a higher dose of levonorgestrel (the main ingredient in Julie) compared to what’s found in birth control pills, so it’s likely to impact your body’s natural hormone levels for a short period of time. Waiting for your period to arrive can be stressful, especially after taking emergency contraception, but just know that it’s totally normal for your period to be delayed.
Your period might also be lighter or heavier than usual, or you could experience spotting in between cycles. Since factors like stress can also affect your menstrual cycle, this could make your period even later. If your period is more than 1 week late, it’s best to take a pregnancy test.
How Julie (the morning-after pill) might affect your period
Taking the emergency contraceptive levonorgestrel, aka Julie or Plan B, can cause symptoms like spotting (irregular bleeding between periods), a heavier or lighter menstrual flow, a shorter or longer period, or an early or delayed period. These side effects are common and shouldn’t last beyond one menstrual cycle. However, if you are still experiencing irregular bleeding after a month, or your period is more than a week late, it’s recommended you take a pregnancy test.
Why does the morning-after pill affect your period?
The morning-after pill, like Julie, is made up of a synthetic hormone called levonorgestrel, which stops or delays the timing of ovulation (when the ovary releases an egg). Anytime you take a hormone, it will impact your hormone levels, which can often impact your period.
Our menstrual cycles are made up of four phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. Since the morning-after pill affects ovulation, a chain reaction can occur where the other stages of your cycle become impacted or temporarily delayed, which is why some people experience an early or a late period.
Reminder that levonorgestrel is NOT an abortion-inducing drug. Like daily contraception, for example, it stops you from getting pregnant and does not interfere in any way with an already fertilized egg—aka, an already established pregnancy.
Morning-after-pill side effects compared to typical period symptoms
Not everyone who takes the morning-after pill will experience side effects, but those who do can expect them to be pretty similar to period symptoms. The majority of symptoms from levonorgestrel, the main ingredient in Julie, are usually felt within 24 hours of taking it.
Common side effects include:
- Changes in your period
- Nausea
- Lower Stomach pain
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Breast tenderness
These symptoms tend to subside within a day or two. Levonorgestrel is FDA-approved and proven to be safe when taken as directed.
How long does the morning-after pill affect your period?
Typically just for one menstrual cycle. Most people notice that their period starts either a few days early or a few days late, though some people have reported a two-week delay in menstruation. However, a late period does not always mean pregnancy; If it’s been 7 days after your expected period date, it’s best to take a pregnancy test.
Remember, changes to your current cycle may be expected when taking Julie, but everything should return to normal the next time you get your period.
When to take a pregnancy test
We know that a delayed or missed period can be super stressful, but remember that there are many reasons why your period could be late.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to take a pregnancy test if:
— You’ve taken the morning-after pill and 7 days have passed since you’d normally get your period
— It’s been 3 weeks since you took the morning-after pill and your period still hasn’t come
— 21 days have passed since the date of unprotected sex (pregnancy tests are usually the most accurate after 3 weeks)
— You had unprotected sex after taking the morning-after pill and didn’t use emergency contraception again (emergency contraception does not protect against future unprotected sex)
If you have other questions or concerns, or if you experience severe lower abdominal pain and/or persistent bleeding, contact your medical provider.
If you are pregnant, levonorgestrel, the main ingredient in Julie, will not impact or harm your pregnancy. You can take Julie knowing that no matter what happens, you will not harm your body or a potential pregnancy.
Questions about the morning-after pill, pregnancy prevention, and safe sex? Head to After Sex to ask our team of doctors any questions you have.
When used as directed, Julie is safe and effective. Common side effects may include changes in your period, nausea, lower stomach pain, tiredness, headache, dizziness and breast tenderness. Julie will not protect you from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any medication
Emergency contraceptives like Julie work when you take them after sex. That’s because emergency contraception prevents pregnancy by delaying when you ovulate. By taking emergency contraception before sex, you may not be delaying ovulation long enough.
No. Julie is not what is commonly called “the abortion pill” or “medication abortion”. The active ingredient in the abortion pill is mifepristone. Pregnancy needs a hormone called progesterone to grow normally. Mifepristone blocks your body’s own progesterone, stopping the pregnancy from growing. Julie does not and will not impact an existing pregnancy, and works by delaying ovulation before there is a pregnancy.
The FDA recently made an update in December 2022 to remove any language suggesting that Julie may prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. We are currently working on removing this outdated disclaimer but you may still see it present on some of our packaging in the meantime. Please disregard these statements because they are out of date. Julie will not impact an existing pregnancy.
Julie is an emergency contraception you can take after:
- You didn’t use any form of birth control or had unprotected sex
- There was an issue with your regular birth control method (eg, the condom broke or slipped)
- You missed a dose (or more) of your regular birth control pill
Taking Julie will not impact your ability to get pregnant.
After taking Julie you can continue on with your regular birth control method if you have one (for example, continue taking birth control pills).
You will know Julie has been effective when you get your next period, which should come at the expected time, or within a week of the expected time. If your period is delayed beyond 1 week, it is possible you may be pregnant. You should get a pregnancy test and follow up with your healthcare professional.
Julie is a backup or emergency method and should not be used as a regular birth control method. Consult with your doctor about a birth control method that makes sense for you.
Please know that taking a dose of Julie will only protect you from one instance of unprotected sex, it will not prevent pregnancy from unprotected sex over the coming days or weeks. If you have unprotected sex in the future and want to prevent pregnancy, be sure to take a new dose of Julie and talk to your doctor about the best birth control options for you.
Your menstrual bleeding patterns may change temporarily after using levonorgestrel. If you find that your period is more than a week late, take a pregnancy test to confirm whether the contraceptive has worked.
Julie can be used by all women, regardless of weight but women with BMIs above 29.9 have a pregnancy risk of 5.8% - meaning that out of every 100 women who take Julie, 6 may become pregnant. We advise that you speak with your doctor for further information on how this may affect you personally.
Take Julie tablets orally (swallow it). It is preferable to take it with water, and you can take it with or without food. Do not insert Julie vaginally.
Julie is not an abortion pill and will not harm an existing pregnancy nor will it be effective if a woman is already pregnant.
Julie is a progestin‑only emergency contraception product that helps prevent pregnancy before it starts when taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex.
Julie is a backup method of preventing pregnancy and should not be used as regular birth control. Use as directed.
Julie is effective up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex. The sooner it’s taken after unprotected sex, the better it works.
Julie can significantly decrease your chances of getting pregnant. When used as directed, about 7 out of every 8 women who could have gotten pregnant will not become pregnant after taking Julie. The most important factor affecting how well Julie works is how quickly it is taken. When taken as directed within 72 hours after unprotected sex or birth control failure, Julie can significantly decrease the chance that a woman will get pregnant. In fact, the earlier Julie is taken after unprotected intercourse, the better it works.
Emergency contraception is not 100% effective, which is why it is critical that women have a regular birth control method. If you have any further questions, we encourage you to talk to your healthcare provider.
Since emergency contraception can affect the length of your menstrual cycle, your period might come about a week later or earlier than usual after taking Julie. If your period is more than one week late, consider the possibility of pregnancy.
No. No one needs a prescription to purchase Julie or EC. However, some insurances require a prescription for reimbursement. Some pharmacies and places where EC is sold may tell you that you need a prescription. You do not.
You do not need to see a doctor before or after taking Julie. You do not need a prescription from a doctor. We do encourage you to speak to a doctor you feel comfortable with about sex, reproductive health, and contraception.
No. We know this is a common misconception so let’s break it down. Using Julie (no matter how many times you take it) does not affect your fertility — and it will not prevent you from becoming pregnant in the future. You should feel free to use Julie whenever you think it’s necessary. Julie (and all EC) is not recommended as an ongoing form of birth control because it’s not as effective at preventing pregnancy as birth control methods like the IUD, patch, pill, ring, or shot. Also, frequent use of EC may cause periods to become irregular and unpredictable. That’s it!
Yes. You are not alone. Often times, people who buy EC are feeling stressed out, concerned, embarrassed, confused or ashamed. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone, you have nothing to be ashamed about, and the Julie community is here to support you. By taking Julie after unprotected sex, you are taking control of your future and taking a safe, effective, approved method of preventing pregnancy.
