Emergency contraception for preventing pregnancy… Also known as EC and the morning after pill Must be used within 120 hours of unprotected intercourse 85% effective Available as Plan B

Unlike abortion, which terminates a pregnancy, emergency contraception prevents pregnancy. As the name implies, it is not something you should use for regular birth control. Rather, it is an "emergency" method to prevent pregnancy if you've had intercourse and didn't use birth control or your birth control failed. To be effective, you need to take EC as soon as possible and no more than 120 hours after unprotected intercourse. When used properly, it is 85% effective in preventing pregnancy.

How EC Works

There are different kinds of emergency contraception. Preterm uses Plan B, which requires that you take two pills. EC will not affect an existing pregnancy, and there is no evidence that EC will cause birth defects if you choose to continue an existing pregnancy.

About a fourth of the women who use EC experience nausea, and a small percentage experience vomiting. Some women also experience breast tenderness, abdominal pain, and headaches. These side effects go away within a day or two after you complete your treatment.

You should have a normal period in 2 to 3 weeks. If not, you may be pregnant and can call us to explore your options. There are some circumstances in which a woman should not take EC. We would be happy to discuss these with you.