EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION: "MORNING AFTER PILL"

Emergency contraception is not just a "morning-after pill."

Calling Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) "morning after pills" can be misleading because you can use them right away and you have up to 120 hours (5 days) after sex to take the pills and still prevent pregnancy.

Emergency contraceptives available in the United States include: using increased doses of certain oral contraceptive pills, or insertion of a copper intrauterine device (IUD) within five days after unprotected intercourse.

Emergency contraception pills can reduce the risk of pregnancy up to 120 hours after unprotected sex, but they work best when taken within 72 hours. They do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Emergency contraception can be used when a condom breaks, after a sexual assault, or any time unprotected sexual intercourse occurs. Do not use emergency contraceptives as your only protection against pregnancy if you are sexually active or planning to be, because they are not as effective as any ongoing contraceptive

There are currently three different brands of emergency contraceptive pills that may be available in U.S. pharmacies.

• Plan B One-Step and Next Choice are approved for sale without a prescription to women and men 17 and older. Women ages 16 and younger need a prescription.
  
• Plan B (the original version, which contains 2 pills instead of one) is still carried in some pharmacies but will be phased out soon. To buy this pill without a prescription you must be ages 18+

To get emergency contraception without a prescription you will be asked to show proof of your age. You will have to ask the pharmacist for emergency contraception because it is kept behind the pharmacy counter.

HOW TO FIND EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES:

If you need a prescription for EC:

• Call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the Planned Parenthood center nearest you, or
• For more information on Plan B One-Step, Next Step and Emergency Contraception go to: http://ec.princeton.edu/

Emergency contraception may also be available in health clinics, the offices of private physicians, and in hospital emergency rooms.

EFFECTIVENESS OF ECPs

Two time factors influence the efficacy of ECPs: the amount of time elapsed after unprotected intercourse, and the point in a woman’s cycle at which she had sex. They are not as effective as correct and consistent use of contraceptive methods such as the Pill, IUD, or contraceptive implants or injections, and they do not protect against sexually transmitted infections.

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SOURCES: Planned Parenthood: Emergency Contraception; and The Emergency Contraception Website
PREPARED BY: 2-1-1/lb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: December2009