What is Emergency Contraception?

Emergency contraception, or emergency birth control, is used to prevent a woman from getting pregnant after she has had unprotected sex. Unprotected sex can mean that no method of birth control was used, that a method of birth control was used but did not work—like a condom breaking—or that a woman was forced to have sex when she did not want to. In these situations, emergency contraception offers women an effective second chance of preventing an unplanned pregnancy.

Many experts believe that greater awareness of emergency contraception may help reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions that occur each year. Although emergency contraception has been around for a long time, many people still don’t know about it. The fact is, emergency contraception has been available since the mid-1960s and it is currently available in over 140 countries.

Although emergency contraception offers safe, effective backup protection, it should never take the place of a regular method of birth control. There are more effective methods of birth control that should be used on a regular basis to prevent pregnancy. And it is important to remember that emergency contraception does not protect you from HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS) and any other sexually transmitted disease (STD).

For more information regarding emergency contraception please visit The ACOG’s FAQs page located here: www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/emergency-contraception

Not an Abortion Pill

Emergency contraception is not the same as RU-486 (abortion pill). Emergency Contraception is used to prevent pregnancy, and it is not effective if you are already pregnant. Plan B will not affect an existing pregnancy.

source: www.go2planB.Com

Plan B emergency contraception is available without a prescription at the Stamps Health Services Pharmacy and at most retail pharmacy stores.

For Additional Information,
please contact the Women’s Clinic at 404.894.1434