Emergency Contraception: A Guide for Teens

Emergency Contraception:

A Guide for Teens

What is emergency contraception (EC)?

Although males can’t get pregnant, if you are having sex with a female partner, it is good to know about emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception (EC) is a treatment used to prevent pregnancy in women who have had unprotected sex (without a birth control method or if the condom breaks). It is sometimes called the "morning after pill", but it can actually be used within 120 hours (up to 5 days) of unprotected sex. EC works better the sooner a woman takes it after unprotected sex. There are several different medications including high doses of birth control pills and the newest medicine, Plan B®.

How does emergency contraception (EC) work?

EC helps prevent pregnancy by stopping the ovary (where the eggs are made) from releasing an egg and lessening the chance of the sperm fertilizing (meeting up with) the egg. EC will not work if a woman is already pregnant. It will not cause an abortion.

How well does it work?

EC reduces a woman’s chance of getting pregnant by 50-90%. The sooner it is taken, the better it works. EC does not work as well as regular birth control methods (condoms, birth control pills, the patch or the shot). It also does not protect you or your partner from sexually transmitted infections.

When should your partner use Emergency Contraception (EC)?

Your partner should consider using EC if you have had sex and

You did not use birth control
The condom broke or slipped off
She missed her birth control shot or some of her birth control pills

How can my partner get Emergency Contraception (EC)?

Emergency contraception (EC) can only be taken by women. In the U.S. EC is available to women 18 and older without a prescription. For teens, EC may require a prescription depending upon the state; some states have a special program that allows pharmacists to dispense EC. A woman may need to check several pharmacies since EC is unfortunately not available in all pharmacies. A woman can get also get EC from her health care provider or a local family planning clinic. Ask your partner if she has heard of emergency contraception or if she already has a prescription from her health care provider.

Information on emergency contraception is available at:

http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/emergencycontraception.html

http://ec.princeton.edu/index.html

Emergency Contraception Hotline (1-888-668-2528 or 1-888-NOT-2-LATE)

Written by the Young Men's Health Staff

Updated 2/5/2008

Related Information:

Looking for other health info? Check our A-to-Z Index.

About Us Contact Us Disclaimer

Health Guides By Topic Health Guides A-to-Z