March 25 is Back Up Your Birth Control Day. Do you have emergency contraception (the "morning after pill") on hand, just in case?
Accidents Happen
Emergency contraception (EC) gives women a second chance to prevent pregnancy. A woman might take EC if she forgot to use birth control, if she was sexually assaulted, or if a condom broke.
Whatever the reason, EC lowers the risk of pregnancy when started within 120 hours of unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. And the sooner EC is administered, the better it works: When started within 72 hours, EC can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 75 to 89 percent.
Plan B
Plan B, a brand of EC, is available over the counter at drugstores for women and men over 18. Teens under 18, as well as other women, can still access EC the old-fashioned way — with a prescription.
The best way young women can protect themselves is to get a prescription for EC before an accident happens, and keep EC on hand in case they need it. That way, they won't waste time after unprotected intercourse waiting to get an appointment with a health care provider and trying to get a prescription filled.
When it comes to EC and pregnancy prevention, time is of the essence!
EC Options
Many brands of birth control pills have also been shown to be as effective as Plan B if taken in certain doses at certain times. To learn more about using the pill for emergency contraception, consult this chart.
(IUDs (intrauterine devices) can be used instead of pills. Some women prefer to have an IUD inserted into their uterus for EC and then leave it in place for years of protection against unintended pregnancy. But usually, appointments need to be scheduled in advance for IUD insertion so EC in pill form can be a lot quicker.)
How EC Works
EC works by preventing ovulation — the release of an egg by the ovary — or by preventing fertilization — the joining of sperm and egg. Some people confuse EC ("the morning-after pill") with mifepristone ("the abortion pill"). Mifepristone is a drug that's used in medication abortion, which ends a pregnancy. EC doesn't end a pregnancy — it prevents it from happening in the first place.
Just a note: EC is not recommended as an ongoing form of birth control, because it's not as effective as regular forms of hormonal birth control. For better ongoing birth control options, check out Birth Control Choices for Teens.
Getting EC
EC is available at Planned Parenthood health centers, as well as college, public, and women's health centers. Women can also get EC from private doctors and in most hospital emergency rooms. To make an appointment to receive EC, call 1-800-230-PLAN for a Planned Parenthood center nearest you, or find us online.
In general, teens don't need parental permission to get emergency contraception, but there may be certain locations where, for one reason or another, a health care provider will require parental permission.
Sexuality and relationship info you can trust from Planned Parenthood® Federation of America
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