EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION: "MORNING AFTER PILL"

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

Because Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) have a five-day (120 hour) window of effectiveness and require multiple doses of pills, the popular term "morning after pill" is misleading.

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.

Plan B is a brand of hormone pills available without a prescription to women and men who are at least 18 years old. Plan B is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is available only at pharmacies/stores staffed by a licensed pharmacist. To buy Plan B women and men must ask a pharmacist and be prepared to present identification showing proof that they are at least 18 years old. Plan B and other forms of emergency contraception are available to women under 18 by prescription. Men under the age of 18 will not be able to buy Plan B either with or without a prescription.

Emergency contraceptives are methods of preventing pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. 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 method.

HOW TO FIND EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES:

Plan B is available only at pharmacies/stores staffed by a licensed pharmacist for women/men at least 18 years old. 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 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: October2007