Need emergency contraception right now? Here's how to choose the best kind for you

Okay. Deep breath. You didn’t have a condom, or you realized you’ve forgotten a few days of pills, you had unprotected penis-in-vagina sex, and you don’t want to get pregnant. You’re stressed, maybe it’s late at night, and you need help right now. We’ve got you.

Get to know your options

Emergency contraception (EC) can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex but before pregnancy actually starts by delaying ovulation. It is not the same as the abortion pill.

There are three types of EC, which have some important differences among them:

1. Over-the-counter emergency contraception

Over-the-counter EC (sometimes referred to as Plan B or the morning-after pill) is a pill you can buy without a prescription at most drugstores and pharmacies. You don’t need to show ID, you don’t need to be a certain age, and you don’t need permission from anyone to buy it.

It works best if you take it as soon as possible—ideally within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex.

It can still work up to 5 days after sex, but it gets less effective each day. It’s important to know that if you weigh 165 pounds or more, it may not work as well for you, but it’s still safe to take.

Here’s how to get it:

• Find it right now on shelves at Costco, Target, Walmart (some are open 24 hours), pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, many grocery stores, and some gas stations.
• Find it online, often with same-day or next-day delivery.

It usually costs between $20 and $50, but some store brands may be cheaper.

2. The prescription emergency contraception pill (ella)

Ella is a different type of EC pill that you need a prescription to get. In many situations, it works better than Plan B, especially on days three through five after unprotected sex. If you weigh 195 pounds or more, it may not work as well, but it’s still safe to take.

The catch is that getting a prescription takes extra time. That little bit of extra time may be worth it though, especially if you weigh 165 pounds or more so the over-the-counter EC pill is less effective for you.

Here’s how to get it:

• Contact your provider (you can select the after-hours option if you need to when you call your provider’s office) and ask them to call a prescription into a 24-hour pharmacy.
• Use a telehealth service like Nurx or Planned Parenthood Direct to get it prescribed online.
• Go to an urgent care or the ER if nothing else is open.

Ella costs between $50 and $70 with a prescription and might be covered by insurance.

3. IUDs (the most effective option)

An IUD is a flexible device that a health care provider places in your uterus. It’s the most effective emergency contraception that exists—it’s over 99% effective, and it’s equally effective regardless of weight.

Three IUDs can be used as emergency contraception: the copper IUD (Paragard) and two hormonal IUDs (Mirena and LILETTA). All three are very effective at preventing pregnancy if you get them placed within five days of unprotected sex. In some situations, the copper IUD can also be placed more than five days after unprotected sex.

The bonus is that once you get the IUD, you can leave it in, and it will keep preventing pregnancy for years. The copper IUD lasts up to 12 years, while Mirena and LILETTA last up to eight years. And you can have any of them removed at any time for any reason.

Here’s how to get it:

• Call a Planned Parenthood or other local health care provider’s office and tell them you want to get the IUD for emergency contraception—some health care providers will see you more quickly when that is the case.
• Go to your college or university’s health center.

The cost can be anywhere from $0 with insurance to $1,300 without, but many places work on a sliding scale based on your income.

Figure out which form of EC works best for you

To figure out which type of EC to use, think about a few different aspects of your situation, including how long it’s been since you had unprotected penis-in-vagina sex and how much you weigh.

If the unprotected sex happened within the last three days: Over-the-counter EC and prescription EC are still options, but the sooner you take them, the better. The IUD is also an option.

If the unprotected sex was three to five days ago: all three are still options, but ella will work better than over-the-counter EC, and the IUD will always work best.

If the unprotected sex was more than five days ago: only the IUD might still be an option.

If you weigh between 165 pounds and 194 pounds: ella or an IUD will work better than over-the-counter EC.

If you weigh 195 pounds or more: getting an IUD will be your best bet for effective emergency contraception.

Need more help?

• Use our Clinic Finder to find a health care provider.
• Call the Planned Parenthood hotline: 1-800-230-PLAN.
• PRJKT RUBY, Nurx, Hey Jane, and other online providers offer online prescriptions for ella.
• If the cost of the EC you want is a concern, call a local Planned Parenthood or another health clinic in your area. Many offer EC for free or at a very low cost, and some college health centers provide it for free to students.

Think about next steps

Take a pregnancy test three weeks after using emergency contraception, just to be sure. And if you had unprotected sex with a new or casual partner, think about getting tested for STIs.

Don’t panic

Emergency contraception exists exactly for moments like this. You’re far from the first person who’s been in this situation, and you have options.

Get the EC. Take the EC. Breathe. And then, if you want, you can think about what other birth control methods might fit best into your life.

You’ve got this.