Precautions and Warnings With Next Choice

If you have diabetes or certain allergies, you may not be able to safely take Next Choice. Warnings and precautions also apply to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition, this emergency contraceptive is not designed to be a main form of birth control, as it is significantly less effective and more expensive than many other birth control methods.

• Are pregnant or think you might be pregnant
• Have diabetes
• Are breastfeeding
• Have any allergies, including to foods, dyes, or preservatives.

• Next Choice is not meant to be your main form of birth control. It is significantly less effective and more expensive than many other forms of birth control.

• Next Choice is not effective at terminating an established pregnancy. This means that the drug will not cause an abortion if a fertilized egg has already implanted into the uterus.

• Your period may be different after you take Next Choice. Some women experience spotting (light vaginal bleeding) a few days after taking it. Most women have a normal period after taking it, although some women may have lighter or heavier periods.

• If your period is more than a week late, you may be pregnant and should consider taking a pregnancy test.

• Next Choice does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV or AIDS.

• Next Choice may increase blood sugar levels in women with diabetes. Usually, this does not require a change in your insulin dosage. However, you should monitor your blood sugar as you normally do.

• Fertility usually returns to normal rather quickly after taking Next Choice. Although the drug can help prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, it will not prevent a future pregnancy, unless you take it again after unprotected sex.

• Progestin-only contraceptives, including Next Choice, may increase the risk for an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus, including "tubal" pregnancy). This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening problem.

If you develop severe lower abdominal (stomach) pain, especially if your period is late, tell your healthcare provider immediately. However, if you have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past, this does not mean that you cannot take Next Choice.

• Next Choice may theoretically react with other medications (see Drug Interactions With Next Choice).

• Next Choice is a pregnancy Category X medication. This means that it should not be used during pregnancy (see Plan B and Pregnancy, as Next Choice is a generic version of Plan B^®).

• Contraceptive hormones, including the one in Next Choice, do pass through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to taking the drug (see Plan B and Breastfeeding, as Next Choice is a generic version of Plan B).