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Emergency Contraception (EC) can stop a pregnancy before it starts. (That means the EC pills are not the same as the abortion pill.) There are four types of EC to choose from and they all work up to 5 days (or 120 hours) after unprotected sex. But use it sooner rather than later to reduce the possibility of getting pregnant.
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This is the most effective EC there is. Have a provider insert it within 5 days of a misstep and lower your chance of pregnancy by 99.9%.
The newest form of EC in the U.S. is a one-pill formula available by prescription. Blocks the hormones your body needs to conceive. Works up to 5 days after unprotected sex and, unlike other EC pills, doesn’t decrease in effectiveness during those 5 days.
Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, Next Choice, EContra EZ, My Way, After Pill and Levonorgestrel. Available over the counter or online without a prescription. Similar to birth control pills, but at a much higher dose. Can work up to 5 days after unprotected sex, but effectiveness decreases each day.
You can use certain birth control pills as EC if you follow the Yuzpe Regimen guidelines, though it’s not as effective as other EC options. Works best up to 3 days following unprotected sex. After that, it’s much less effective.
If the condom broke,or you forgot to take your pill, insert your ring, apply your patch, or if your diaphragm slipped—anything like that—you may want to use EC.
If you’re not sure your partner pulled out in time, that’s another reason you might think about using EC.
Maybe it was due to the influence of alcohol. Maybe you thought you could go without birth control just this once. Maybe you didn’t think about it at all. No matter the reason, if you didn’t use any protection during sex and don’t want to get pregnant, EC might be for you—as long as it’s been less than five days since that unprotected encounter.
Rape is a horrible thing, but it happens. If you’ve been raped, or if you had sex with someone who refused to use another form of contraception, consider EC.
The sooner you take EC, the more effective it is. So it’s not a bad idea to keep a box of one of the EC pill varieties on hand, just in case you need it.
If find yourself in need of EC and want a longer-lasting solution, the ParaGard IUD is the most effective EC option by far and can be inserted up to 5 days after unprotected sex. The best part? You’ll have an easy and super-effective birth control method for up to 12 years.
Don’t take our word for it. Check out the videos above to hear people talk about their experiences with emergency contraception. And be sure to ask your health care provider which method is best for you.
The price of EC can vary a lot depending on where you get it (pharmacy vs. health center) and which type you decide to use. Keep in mind that if you buy over-the-counter EC, it won’t necessarily be covered by health insurance.
BTW, the open enrollment period for 2017 is over, but you may still be able to get health coverage. Find out if you could be eligible for special enrollment.
The full price of ParaGard can range from $500 - $932. To see how this translates over a year, here’s what it would cost to pay for ParaGard month-to-month at full price.
Cost per month over 10 years: $4 - $7
Payment assistance: If you don’t have insurance, the manufacturer offers payment plans where you can make 4 or 12 monthly payments. Contact the manufacturer at ParaGard.com or 1-877-727-2427 to find out more. Also, check with your local family planning clinics to find out if they offer free or low-cost IUDs (many do).
Levonorgestrel-based EC pills are sold without a prescription at CVS, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, and many other stores and pharmacies. Prices can range from $25 - $39.99.
Tip: If it’s not an emergency and you just want to have some EC on hand, you can get EC from AfterPill.com for $25 including standard shipping.
We found Plan B One-Step and some of its generic forms including AfterPill, Take Action, Next Choice, My Way, and EContra EZ for sale through a bunch of different websites:
Amazon.com: $31.60 - $38.50
CVS.com: $49.99
Drugstore.com: $49.99
RiteAid.com: $49.99
Target.com: $49.99
Walgreens.com: $49.99
Walmart.com: $46.87
AfterPill.com: $25.00
Amazon.com: $23.35 - $30.00
Amazon.com: $30.50
RightAid.com: $39.99
Amazon.com: $24.70
CVS.com: $39.99
Drugstore.com: $39.99
Target.com: $39.99
Walgreens.com: $39.99
Walmart.com: $34.78
Note: These prices are averaged—including taxes and standard shipping costs—from a survey of select online vendors as of June 2016. Prices may change over time.
Emergency Contraception isn’t a method you should rely on all the time—there are much more effective methods out there. But if you have unprotected sex, it’s the quickest and easiest “after-the-fact” option out there. Here are the different types you can choose from.
This is the most effective EC there is. If you get the ParaGard IUD inserted within 5 days after unprotected sex, it can lower the chance of pregnancy by 99.9%. You’ll need to make an appointment with a health care provider to have this procedure.
You need a prescription to pick up ella at a local pharmacy. In some states, you can order it from an online pharmacy without getting a prescription first (they handle that for you on their website). There’s no age limit to access ella. Take the one-pill formula within 5 days after unprotected sex.
Levonorgestrel-based EC pills are available off the shelf at pharmacies and grocery stores to anyone with no age restrictions. That means you should be able to buy Plan B One-Step or generic options like Next Choice One Dose, My Way, and Levonorgestrel without having a prescription or showing your ID. All levonorgestrel-based EC pills work like birth control pills, but at a much higher dose and taken temporarily. Best used as soon as possible, though they can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex.
Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, and My Way consist of just one pill that’s to be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. (The original Plan B consisted of two pills and is no longer being sold.)
Next Choice and Levonorgestrel are both two-pill formulas. The instructions say to take one pill right away and the second 12 hours later, but research shows you can also take both pills at the same time.
Some everyday birth control pills can be used as EC. If you go that route, which is called the Yuzpe regimen, you’ve got to take the pills in two doses, 12 hours apart. And it only works with certain brands. Here’s an article to help you understand how to use the Yuzpe regimen.
Remember: Use EC as soon as possible after you’ve had unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better—within 24-hours to three days is ideal. But EC will still reduce your risk of pregnancy for up to 5 days. (The instructions for Plan B and Next Choice say to take it within 72 hours after sex, but studies show that Plan B One-Step, Next Choice, and Levonorgestrel can be taken up to 5 days after sex.)
Want even more detail? Check out all the information on the Not-2-Late website.
There are positive and negative things to say about each and every method. And everyone’s different—so what you experience may not be the same as what your friend experiences.
Positive “side effects”? You bet. There are actually lots of things about birth control that are good for your body as well as your sex life.
Everyone worries about negative side effects, but for many women, they’re not a problem. And if you do experience side effects with EC, they’ll probably go away after 24 hours.
Emergency contraception should not be used as a primary method of birth control. If you’re having trouble using your primary method consistently, you may want to switch to a low-maintenance method like the IUD or the implant.
To prevent nausea and vomiting, you can take the non-prescription anti-nausea medicine meclizine (also sold under the brand names Dramamine II or Bonine) an hour before taking the first dose of EC. Note that this might make you drowsy.
If you end up puking within an hour of taking a dose of EC, you may want to take that dose again in case your body didn’t absorb the hormones yet.
Whatever age or gender you are, you can buy levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception (EC) pills including Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, and My Way over-the-counter at the pharmacy without a prescription. Learn more about getting EC.
No. No. No. If you’re already pregnant (even if you don’t know it yet), EC won’t work. EC can only prevent a pregnancy from starting; it can’t stop one that already has. And if you accidentally take EC before you know you’re pregnant, it won’t hurt you or the pregnancy.
Any person can get levonorgestrel-based EC pills at their local pharmacy or clinic without a prescription, regardless of age or gender.
EC should be available at most pharmacies and health clinics, but it’s probably worth looking into where in your area it’s available before going to get it. That said, we highly recommend always keeping EC on hand “just in case.” The sooner you take it, the more effective it is. And it’s a lot less stressful than running around town looking for some after the fact.
Medications and herbal supplements that may make regular birth control pills less effective may also reduce the effectiveness of emergency contraceptive pills. So if you are using an enzyme inducer, it probably makes sense to increase the dose of EC. You should talk to your doctor about how much to increase the dose.
EC provides the possibility of prevention after the fact.
ParaGard as EC is extremely effective; EC pills are somewhat effective (not as good as lots of methods you can use before or during sex).
With ParaGard you might have increased blood flow, cramping; EC pills can cause upset stomach and vomiting.
With ParaGard, it’s inserted once and lasts for years; the number and dose of pills depends on the brand.
ella and Yuzpe require a prescription; ParaGard must be inserted by provider; Plan B One-Step is available without a prescription; generic levonorgestrel-based pills are available without prescription. Search for EC.
Anywhere from $0-$932. Read about why we give you a range of costs.
