After the sperm penetrates and fertilizes the egg, 46 human chromosomes come together in a one-of-a-kind genetic design that determines a person’s eye and hair color, gender, skin tone, height and even the intricate swirl of the fingerprints.
Depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, the pill could affect you in one of three ways:
- It may prevent ovulation: The egg will not be released to meet the sperm—so fertilization, sometimes known as conception, can’t occur.
- It may affect the lining of your fallopian tubes so that sperm cannot reach the egg. This also prevents fertilization.
- It may irritate the lining of your uterus. If an egg has already been released and fertilized by the sperm, this irritation could make it harder for the embryo to implant in your uterus.
Source: © 2009, 2012 Focus on the Family “The Morning-After Pill” pamphlet
Footnote 1: FDA Prescribing and Label Information for Plan B One-Step®, Rev. July 2009; pp. 13-14; www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/021998lbl.pdf
Footnote 2: FDA Prescribing and Label Information for Plan B One-Step®, Rev. July 2009, p. 13; See footnote 1
