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CONTRACEPTION
Emergency Contraception
What is emergency contraception?
Answer
Emergency contraception, sometimes called the “morning-after pill,” consists of a concentrated dosage of one or more of the same hormones found in ordinary birth control pills. It is not an abortifacient and has no effect on an established pregnancy. Emergency contraception is recommended as a back-up method for women who have experienced contraceptive failure (e.g., if the condom broke) or had unprotected sex, and can be effective for up to three to five days after sex, depending on the specific product (see answer below). Intrauterine devices (IUDs) can also act as a method of emergency contraception if inserted shortly after unprotected sex.[22]
For how long is emergency contraception considered effective at preventing pregnancy, and do women and men need a prescription for it?
Answer
As of October 2011, there were four FDA-approved emergency contraception products on the market. Three of these products are approved for preventing pregnancy when taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex; the other (Ella) for up to five days. Individuals younger than 17 generally need a prescription, while older women and men do not. However, Ella is only available by prescription.[22]
How often is emergency contraception used in the United States?
Answer
About one in 10 women in the U.S. aged 15–44 has ever used emergency contraception, which is about twice the proportion who used it in 2002. Additionally, American women aged 18–29, the age-group at greatest risk for unintended pregnancy, are more likely than other women to have used this back-up method.[23]
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