Is Emergency Contraception Right for Me?
Accidents happen — that's why we have emergency contraception (the morning after pill). Did you have intercourse without using protection? Did you forget to use your birth control correctly? Did the condom break, leaving you worried about becoming pregnant? If so, emergency contraception might be a good choice for you.
Here are some of the most common questions we hear women ask about emergency contraception. We hope the answers help you decide if it is right for you.
Highlights
What Is Emergency Contraception?
Emergency contraception (EC) is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. It can be started up to five days (120 hours) after unprotected intercourse.
You may want EC if
- The condom broke or slipped off, and he ejaculated in your vagina.
- You forgot to take your birth control pills, insert your ring, or apply your patch.
- Your diaphragm or cap slipped out of place, and he ejaculated inside your vagina.
- You miscalculated your "safe" days.
- He didn't pull out in time.
- You weren't using any birth control.
- You were forced to have unprotected vaginal sex, or were raped.
Emergency contraception is also known as emergency birth control, backup birth control, the morning after pill, and by the brand name Plan B. The most commonly used kind of emergency contraception is Plan B.
Why Is Emergency Contraception Sometimes Called the Morning After Pill?
Many people call emergency contraception or Plan B the "morning after pill." But the name is a little confusing. You can use emergency contraception any time, up to five days, after unprotected intercourse — not just the "morning after."
Also, you take at least two pills when you use Plan B, and many more pills if you use other types of emergency contraception — there is not just one pill. That's why the term "emergency contraception" is more accurate than "morning after pill."
Here we will use "emergency contraception" and "morning after pill" to mean any kind of pills that can be taken after intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
How Does Emergency Contraception Work?
Emergency contraception is made of the same hormones found in birth control pills. Hormones are chemicals made in our bodies. They control how different parts of the body work.
The hormones in the morning after pill work by keeping a woman's ovaries from releasing eggs — ovulation. Pregnancy cannot happen if there is no egg to join with sperm. The hormones in the morning after pill also prevent pregnancy by thickening a woman's cervical mucus. The mucus blocks sperm and keeps it from joining with an egg.
Some people say that the morning after pill works by keeping a fertilized egg from attaching to the lining of the uterus. But there is no proof that this actually happens.
You might have also heard that the morning after pill causes an abortion. But that's not true. The morning after pill is not the abortion pill. Emergency contraception is birth control, not abortion.
Plan B is a brand of hormone pills specially packaged as emergency contraception. Plan B contains the hormone progestin.
Certain brands of birth control pills may also be used as backup birth control. Our chart can show you how. Usually, birth control pills with two hormones — progestin and estrogen — are the ones used for EC.
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A ParaGard IUD can also be used as backup birth control if inserted within 120 hours — five days — after unprotected intercourse. It is 99.9 percent effective. Talk with your health care provider if you're interested in getting an IUD. |
How Effective Is Emergency Contraception?
Effectiveness is an important and common concern — especially when it comes to EC. The morning after pill is an effective form of backup birth control. However, it is not as effective as ongoing use of the pill, the ring, the patch, the shot or the IUD, when they are used correctly.
Plan B reduces the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent when started within 72 hours — or three days — after unprotected intercourse.
- Only 1 out of 100 women will become pregnant after taking Plan B if started within three days.
When birth control pills are used as emergency contraception, they reduce the risk of pregnancy by 75 percent when started within three days after unprotected intercourse.
- Only 2 out of 100 women will become pregnant after taking birth control pills as emergency contraception if started within three days.
Emergency contraception can be started up to 120 hours — five days — after unprotected intercourse. The sooner it is started, the better.
You need to use the morning after pill to prevent pregnancy after each time you have unprotected intercourse. The morning after pill will not prevent pregnancy for any unprotected intercourse you may have after taking the pills.
The morning after pill offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections. You may want to consider testing for infections if there is a possibility that unprotected sex put you at risk.
How Safe Is Emergency Contraception?
Emergency contraception is safe. Even though the morning after pill is made of the same hormones as the birth control pill, it does not have the same risks as taking the pill or other hormonal birth control methods continuously. That's because the hormones in the morning after pill are not in your body as long as they are with ongoing birth control.
Millions of women have used emergency contraception. It has been used for more than 30 years. There have been no reports of serious complications.
What Are the Disadvantages of Emergency Contraception?
You may have some undesirable side effects while using emergency contraception. But many women use Plan B with few or no problems. If you use birth control pills as emergency contraception, you have a greater chance of having side effects. Any side effects usually go away in a day or two.
Nausea and throwing up are the most common side effects, especially when using birth control pills as the morning after pill.
- About half of the women who take birth control pills as emergency contraception feel sick to their stomachs, but only for about 24 hours. Less than 1 out of 5 throw up after taking the pills.
- The risk of nausea and throwing up are much less with Plan B. Less than 1 out of 4 women feel sick when they take Plan B.
You can use anti-nausea medicine, such as Dramamine or Bonine, one hour before taking emergency contraception if you are concerned about being nauseous. Read the package of the anti-nausea medicine to find out if it has any side effects — some women may feel drowsy. Many women also find it helpful to take the emergency contraception pills with a full stomach.
Other side effects of the morning after pill may include
- breast tenderness
- irregular bleeding
- dizziness
- headaches
If you use the morning after pill frequently, it may cause your period to be irregular. Emergency contraception should not be used as a form of ongoing birth control because it is less effective. There are other forms of birth control that are a lot more effective.
How Do I Get Emergency Contraception?
Plan B is available from drugstores and health centers without a prescription for women and men 18 and older. If you are interested in getting Plan B and are 18 or older, you can either get it directly from a Planned Parenthood health center or from your local drugstore. If you are younger than 18, you'll need to go to a health center or private health care provider for a prescription.
We all like to be prepared. That is why it's a great idea to keep some Plan B in your medicine cabinet or bedside table in case of an accident. Having the morning after pill on hand will let you take it as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse, when it is most effective. If you are younger than 18, you can ask your health care provider for a prescription that you can fill ahead of time.
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Plan B is safe, effective, and should be widely available. But, because of certain policies and personal bias, some women may have a hard time getting it. If you are having trouble getting emergency contraception from your local pharmacy or health care provider, contact your local Planned Parenthood health center. We can help you get the medicine you need. |
How Much Does Emergency Contraception Cost?
The cost of emergency contraception varies a great deal, depending on where you go and what services you need. Plan B may cost anywhere from $10 to $45. One packet of birth control pills that can be used as emergency contraception may cost from $20 to $50. If you are not 18 and need a prescription, the health care visit may cost anywhere from $35 to $250, depending on where you live.
Family planning clinics usually charge less than private health care providers.
How Do I Use Emergency Contraception?
Take emergency contraception as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse. The sooner you start it, the better it will work. But it will reduce your risk of pregnancy if you start it up to 120 hours — five days — after unprotected intercourse.
Plan B can be taken in one dose or two doses. If you take it in two doses, take the second pill 12 hours after the first pill. Or simply take them both at the same time. It's your choice.
When you take birth control pills as emergency contraception, you must take the pills in two doses, 12 hours apart. The number of pills in each dose depends on the brand of the pill. You must use the same brand of pill for each dose.
If you become nauseous and throw up after taking the first dose of the pills, be sure to use anti-nausea medication an hour before taking the second dose. Or, instead of taking it by mouth, you can insert the second dose as high into your vagina as you can reach. The medicine will be absorbed through the walls of your vagina, and will not make you feel sick to your stomach.
If you throw up after the second dose, you should not take any extra pills. The pills will most likely make you sicker, and probably won't reduce your chance of getting pregnant.
After you take emergency contraception, it's normal for your next period to be different from usual.
- It may be earlier or later than usual.
- It may be heavier, lighter, more spotty, or the same as usual.
Be sure to tell any health care provider that you may see before your next period that you have taken the morning after pill. If you do not have your period within three weeks after taking Plan B or other morning after pills, or if you have any symptoms of pregnancy schedule an appointment with your health care provider.
Published: 02.12.08 | Updated: 02.12.08
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