Last year, we reported that Norlevo, the European equivalent of Plan B One-Step, was getting a new warning that it may be less effective for heavier women. That decision was based on research that found the drug started losing effectiveness in women who weighed 165 pounds or more, and that it wasn't effective at all for women above 175 pounds. Needless to say, this news was shocking.
But luckily, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently reviewed all that research and concluded that the data aren't enough to support this new warning. In the statement from their Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CMPH), they explain that women can continue to use emergency contraception as needed, regardless of their weight.
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As they explain in the paper, "the data available are too limited and not robust enough to conclude with certainty that contraceptive effect is reduced with increased bodyweight, as stated in the product information for Norlevo." While some studies noted a reduced effectiveness in heavier women, others didn't find that link. Because of this, they recommend that the current warning be removed, but that the results of these studies remain in the product information.
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The CMPH also noted that the side effects of emergency contraceptives are typically mild and the product has been shown to be safe, so this limited research should not deter women from using it. Emergency contraceptives are a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex, and while they shouldn’t be used as your primary birth control method, they remain an important option for women.
For more information, here are six things you need to know about the morning after pill.
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