Plan B is still available in Missouri after abortion ban. What to know, how to access it

Kynala Phillips
·4 min read

Morning after pills or emergency contraceptives, like Plan B are still available in Missouri following the state’s trigger ban on nearly all abortions. Pharmacies around Kansas City including Walgreens, CVS, Target and Walmart all have emergency contraception pills in stock and available for purchase. CVS is limiting customers to purchasing three pills per person at a time to ensure people can access the pill as demand surges across the country.

After abortion was banned in Missouri following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, some readers have written to The Star with concerns about access to emergency contraceptives and other forms of birth control. Here’s what we know so far about Plan B in Missouri. We will continue reporting on this topic.

What is Plan B?

Emergency contraceptive is one of the few birth control options that is used to prevent pregnancy after sex. Morning after pills can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex. Popular morning after pill brands include, Plan B One Step, AfterPill, Preventeza and EContra, to name a few.

These pills use a high dose of a hormone called levonorgestrel, which is similar to the naturally occurring hormone progesterone. Morning after pills work to prevent pregnancy by preventing the body from releasing an egg, which essentially stops your body from ovulating.

The levonorgestrel pills can reduce your chance of becoming pregnant by 75% to 89% if the pill is taken within three days of unprotected sex, according to Planned Parenthood.

It’s important to note that morning after pills are not the same as abortion pills and cannot terminate a pregnancy.

Are emergency contraceptives still legal under Missouri’s abortion ban?

The state’s trigger ban does not explicitly ban emergency contraceptives, and for now, they are still readily available on store shelves.

Though the trigger ban law does not explicitly ban family planning methods other than abortion outright, we still don’t know how all Missouri prosecutors will choose to interpret it, or if any will argue that methods like Plan B fall under the ban.

Who does the morning after pill work for?

The morning after pill works for people who weigh less than 165 pounds. The pill also works best for people who are not ovulating when they take the pill. If you have unprotected sex and your body has already released an egg from your ovary, the pill will not work.

That’s why it’s best to take levonorgestrel pills as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. Regardless of where you are in your menstrual cycle, Planned Parenthood suggests that people take emergency contraception as soon as possible even if they think they’re about to ovulate.

Levonorgestrel pills also work fine for people who are on another form of hormonal birth control.

When does the morning after pill not work?

There are some instances where the morning after pill will be less effective. People who are on medications like the antibiotic Rifampin or antifungal Griseofulvin can impact how well the pill works. Certain HIV and anti-seizure medications can also make the pill not work, according to Planned Parenthood.

Levonorgestrel pills also might not work for people who are over 165 pounds. However, there are other emergency contraception options available. The Ella morning after pill is one option for people who are between 165 and 195 pounds. Ella can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex and can be up to to 85% effective against getting pregnancy.

Itrauterin Devices (IUD) is another birth control option that can work up to five days after unprotected sex. IUDs are one of the most effective forms of birth control. The IUD can reduce chances of getting pregnant by more than 99.9% and can last up to 12 years. IUDs are also one of the best emergency options for folks over 195 pounds.

Where can you get Plan B pills in KC, and how much do they cost?

Most morning after pills can be purchased over the counter and do not require any ID to purchase. In Kansas City, they can be found at stores like Walgreens, CVS, Target or Walmart. You can also get a morning after pill delivered directly to your house through services like Instacart or Amazon. CVS is limiting purchases to three pills per person at a time.

Brands like Plan B One-Step typically cost around $45 to $50, while Aftera will run you about $40. Plan B pills can also be purchased at Planned Parenthood Patty Brous Health Center for $40, and no appointment is needed to make the purchase.

Some insurances may cover emergency contraception pills, in which case make sure to chat with your doctor about getting a prescription first. Other options like Ella or the copper IUD will also need a doctor’s sign off and cannot be purchased over the counter.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Max Holloway’s point-to-the-canvas UFC 300 moment was deja vu for Ricardo Lamas

    You might have someone to thank you wouldn’t expect for that crazy Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje result at UFC 300.

  • Post Office boss Nick Read ‘obsessed with his pay’, claims former HR director

    Jane Davies said chief executive Mr Read had embarked upon a ‘deliberate campaign to defame and ostracise’ her.

  • Global equity market-neutral hedge funds shine

    Global equity market-neutral hedge funds have lured investors as they can deliver better returns in times of global rates uncertainty and geopolitical tension than traditional stock markets. Equity market-neutral hedge funds (EMN) execute strategies that capitalise on discrepancies in stock valuations by purchasing undervalued securities and selling overvalued ones, making them less exposed to fluctuations in broader market indices. They also say these funds could also offer a hedge against market instability in the face of significant events, including the U.S. Presidential elections, global interest rate policy shifts, and concerns about an economic downturn.

  • UK annual government borrowing higher than forecast in blow to Chancellor

    The ONS estimated that full-year public sector net borrowing was £120.7 billion in 2023-24, £6.6 billion more than predicted.

  • Fund offering 'venture capital' exposure sends investors on meme-like ride

    A new fund that allows shareholders access to privately owned technology companies has sent investors on a wild ride in recent weeks while eliciting criticism from the likes of Morningstar and competitor ARK Investment Management. Shares of Destiny Tech100 are up some 200% since its March 27 launch, following a tumultuous three-week run that has seen it rise by as much as 1,172% from its debut price of $8.25. It plans to update its holdings on a quarterly basis, and creator Sohail Prasad said last month that he would like it to eventually hold 100 companies.

  • The best jumper cables of 2024

    It's a good idea to keep jumper cables in your vehicle in case of a dead battery emergency. You never know when you, or someone else, might need a jump.

  • MSP expenses cap raised to cover second home council tax rise

    The Scottish Parliament has increased MSPs’ expenses to allow them to use the public purse to cover the cost of council tax doubling on their second homes in Edinburgh.

  • Christie Brinkley, 70, uses this anti-aging eye treatment 'morning and night' — and it's on sale

    The Eye Lift Wand "[takes] away any puffiness," the 70-year-old supermodel told Instagram followers.

  • Woman on lunchtime walk spots ‘insanely rare’ sea creature off UK coast, video shows

    “(This) isn’t something most people will ever see in their lifetime.”

  • Restaurant staff skipped hand-washing after bathroom, before handling food: Scores (4/23)

    “Employees handled money, handled raw chicken, scratched their faces and used the restroom without washing their hands afterwards and prior to handling food.”

  • Hezbollah launches deepest ever attack inside Israel

    Hezbollah has launched a series of drone strikes against Israeli military bases, in its deepest attack inside Israel since the start of the war in Gaza.

  • Public helps South River exhibit come alive with wildlife sounds

    New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) in South River is back with an expanded version of its Soundscape exhibit. First created and introduced by NAISA last year, Soundscape encourages people in the Almaguin Highlands to record natural sounds using its equipment. Darren Copeland, NAISA's Artistic Director, supplies the public with sound recorders hidden in small bird feeders they leave out overnight and retrieve the next morning. When NAISA first introduced Soundscape to the public last year, it wa

  • Google fires more workers who protested its deal with Israel

    Google fired at least 20 more workers in the aftermath of protests over technology the company is supplying the Israeli government amid the Gaza war, bringing the total number of terminated staff to more than 50, a group representing the workers said. It's the latest sign of internal turmoil at the tech giant centered on “Project Nimbus,” a $1.2 billion contract signed in 2021 for Google and Amazon to provide the Israeli government with cloud computing and artificial intelligence services. Worke

  • Franklin Financial Services Corp Reports Growth in Q1 2024, Assets Surpass $2 Billion

    Comprehensive Analysis of Financial Performance and Strategic Initiatives

  • Russia will strike in unexpected places this summer, Ukraine says

    Ukraine's second largest city has been pounded by missiles and drones in recent weeks, but Kyiv's forces will be prepared to thwart any assault, Oleksandr Pivnenko said. Russia has been inching forward in the east, but long-delayed U.S. military assistance is finally expected to be approved this week and reach Ukraine soon, relieving critical ammunition shortages and air defences. Ukrainian officials say they expect a Russian in late spring or summer, and that they believe Moscow wants to seize the strategically important eastern town of Chasiv Yar by May 9 when it marks Soviet Victory Day in World War Two.

  • Walmart-backed fintech One launches 'buy now, pay later' loans, CNBC reports

    Walmart’s majority-owned fintech startup One has started offering buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans for big-ticket items like electronics and power tools at some of the retailer's U.S. stores, CNBC reported on Tuesday. One will be going head-to-head with some of Walmart's existing BNPL partners like Affirm, who helped the retail giant generate $648 billion in revenue last year, the report said. Customers can avail the facility to buy electronics, jewelry, power tools and automotive accessories, but items like groceries, alcohol, and weapons will not be eligible.

  • I obsessively tracked my periods for a year to see if I could improve my life

    While men and women have a 24-hour body clock, women’s additional 28(ish)- day cycle means that expecting the same of ourselves every day makes little sense

  • Hand-counted ballots, voter ID rules: How GOP lawmakers want to change Ohio elections

    Gov. Mike DeWine said the issue of election integrity in Ohio is settled. Not all Republicans in the Legislature agree.

  • Britain to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030, Rishi Sunak announces

    Boris Johnson first promised in 2022 that Britain would spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by the end of this decade

  • Solar company Sunpower flags issues with financial reporting

    It expects a $15 million to $25 million decrease in income from continuing operations before income taxes and some other adjustments for the year ended Jan. 1, 2023. The misstatements relate to capitalization of certain deferred costs and wrongly classified sales commissions as cost of revenue, among other things. The breach was due to a delay in filing quarterly results stemming from inventory-related issues.