Prescription EC pill (ella)

Yup. People of all ages and genders can buy over-the-counter emergency contraception (EC) for themselves or someone else without a prescription.

Anyone can buy over-the-counter EC pills, at their local pharmacy or clinic without a prescription, regardless of age or gender.

If you had sex within the last five days and didn’t use a method of birth control, you might want to use emergency contraception (EC) to prevent pregnancy. You can get over-the-counter EC pills, like Plan B, without a prescription or talk to a health care provider to get prescription EC pills. You can also look into getting some types of IUD, the most effective emergency contraceptive option.

If it’s been more than five days, you can get a pregnancy test or go to the doctor to see if you are, in fact, pregnant. You have to wait at least 10 days after unprotected sex for the tests to work, and they are more accurate if you wait to take them until a few days after you expect your next period. If you’re not pregnant, you can consider getting started with a birth control method.

Over-the-counter EC pills should be available at most pharmacies and health clinics, but you can call before going to get it. EC pills are also often sold at big box stores and online, as well. That said, you can consider getting a dose of EC to keep on hand for “just in case” moments because the sooner you take EC pills, the more effective they are at preventing pregnancy.

In the U.S. there are a bunch of types of birth control available over the counter without a prescription or talking to a pharmacist. Condoms, internal condoms, spermicide, the sponge, as well as emergency contraception pills and one type of birth control pill.

Yes. You can take emergency contraception (a.k.a. the morning-after pill) at any time of day for up to 5 days after unprotected sex. For over-the-counter emergency contraception pills like Plan B One-Step, Next Choice, Next Choice One Dose, and levonorgestrel, the sooner you take them, the more effective they are and work best within 3 days. The prescription emergency contraceptive pill (ella) doesn’t decrease in effectiveness over those 5 days.

Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, My Way, and ella consist of just one pill that’s to be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If you’re taking a generic with two pills, research shows you can take both pills at the same time—you don’t have to wait 12 hours after taking the first to take the second.

For more information, check out our section on How To Use emergency contraception.