BY MARIA CHENGUpdated 6:08 PM MST, August 16, 2023Share
LONDON (AP) — Taking a common arthritis drug together with the morning-after pill Plan B could boost the contraceptive’s effectiveness, according to new research published Wednesday.
Levonorgestrel, often called Plan B, is the most widely available type of emergency contraception. It works by preventing or delaying ovulation.
Scientists estimate that it is about 95% effective when taken within a day after unprotected sex, dropping to 58% or lower within three days. The new study, published by the medical journal Lancet, suggests levonorgestrel can remain highly effective up to three days after unprotected sex when it is taken with piroxicam, an anti-inflammatory pain medication typically prescribed for arthritis.
“It’s really exciting and very timely that we could have a more effective emergency contraceptive option,” said Kelly Cleland, executive director for the American Society for Emergency Contraception, who was not part of the Lancet study.
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