®
The
Female Patient
Uh-oh! You had sex and
the condom broke.
Or, you were on a
romantic weekend in
the country and your birth control
pills stayed home. This is a good
time to know about emergency
contraception (EC).
Two Types of Emergency
Contraception
Oral EC contains a dose of the hormones used
in regular oral contraceptives (OCs). Since they
are used after unprotected sex to decrease the
likelihood of pregnancy, ECs are sometimes
called “morning after pills.” Do not confuse EC
with mifepristone (RU-486), the medication used
to induce abortion. This is a completely differ-
ent product. In fact, EC will not work if you are
already pregnant.
One brand of oral tablets in the United States,
called Plan B, is made specifically for EC. Plan B is
now available without a prescription for women
aged 18 years and older. Although it is an over-
the-counter (OTC) product, you will not find it
on pharmacy shelves but must request it from
a pharmacist. Women who are younger than
age 18 years will still need a prescription from a
health care provider.
In addition to Plan B, some—but not all—tra-
ditional OCs can also be used as EC. Emergency
contraception use is safe in most women, even
those who have been told they cannot use OCs.
Emergency contraception is more effective the
sooner it is taken after unprotected sex. Since
some pharmacies have restricted hours, may not
stock EC, or may be reluctant to dispense it, it
may be a good idea to obtain it in advance “just
in case.” If there is only one pharmacy in your
area, and that pharmacy doesn’t stock or refuses
to dispense EC, you can ask your health care pro-
vider for a prescription for one of the traditional
OCs that can be used for EC.
The copper-bearing intrauterine device (IUD) is
also an effective method of EC. Unlike oral EC, it
provides up to 10 years of future contraception,
and can be removed any time before then if you
wish to become pregnant.
How Emergency
Contraception Works
Oral EC works in several different ways,