EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

Sometimes referred to as the “morning after pill,” emergency contraception (EC) is a method of birth control that can prevent pregnancy after sex. EC can be used if you had unprotected sex in the past 5 days. You can use EC if:

• You didn’t use birth control or were late with your regular method;
• The condom broke; and/or
• You were forced to have unprotected sex

WHAT IS EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION?
EC is a safe and effective method of birth control that can prevent pregnancy after sex. EC is not the abortion pill. It will not work if you are already pregnant. It does not protect against sexually transmitted infections or HIV/AIDS.

HOW DOES EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION WORK?
EC can prevent pregnancy by delaying or inhibiting ovulation. It may also inhibit fertilization.

There are three brands of EC approved for pregnancy prevention:

	Plan B® One-Step	Next Choice®	ella®
Dosage	1 pill	2 pills	1 pill
Approval	Approved for up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex. The sooner you take these the better they work.		Approved for up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex.
Availability	Women and men age 17 or older can buy Plan B® One-Step or Next Choice® at a pharmacy without a prescription. Women age 16 or younger still need a prescription from a healthcare provider in order to buy EC at a pharmacy.		ella® is available by prescription to women of all ages. Call ahead to make sure that your pharmacy has ella® in stock.
Cost	Plan B® One-Step ranges from $35-$60.	Next Choice® ranges from $30-$55.	ella® can be ordered online for $77 with shipping.°
Efficacy∆	The efficacy of these methods decreases over the 72 hour window.		The efficacy of this method remains the same during the 120 hour window.

°You do not need an existing prescription to order ella® online: http://www.ella-kwikmed.com. Each patient must complete their own online diagnostic medical assessment. The physician reviewing your medical assessment, as well as the pharmacist filling your prescription, may contact you for additional information and/or decline your request for a prescription based on the information you provide. KwikMed does not charge for its online medical consultation.

As a prescription medication, costs can vary based on reimbursement from private insurers and/or Medicaid. New York State Medicaid provides coverage for emergency contraception products.

∆While the efficacy of Plan B® One-Step and Next Choice® declines over time, the efficacy of ella® does not (up to 120 hours). Research suggests that ella® is more effective than Plan B® One-Step or Next Choice®−visit the Emergency Contraception Website for more information on efficacy.

Be Prepared
If you are sexually active and don’t want to get pregnant, you may want to consider keeping Emergency Contraception at home so you’ll be ready in case you need EC in an emergency.

If you are age 16 years or under, if you don’t have government issued identification, or if you cannot afford the price of EC at the pharmacy, you can still access emergency contraception.  There are clinics that provide free or low-cost EC regardless of your age, immigration status or whether or not you have health insurance, including community health centers, Planned Parenthood, private doctors’ offices, hospitals, and college health centers (usually for students only) throughout the state. Many clinics or local pharmacies will be able to provide EC at a walk-in visit. Call the nearest clinic or pharmacy before a visit to check their hours of operation and to find out whether you will need an appointment and what paperwork you should bring to your visit.

For more information on where you can access EC in New York State, visit the Department of Health’s list of Family Planning Program sites by county here.

You can also visit http://not-2-late.com and search by zip code to find out where you can access EC throughout the United States.

Protection After an Assault
New York State law requires hospital emergency rooms to provide women with emergency contraception when they report being sexually assaulted. Under the law, healthcare providers should offer emergency contraception and forensic exams, regardless of whether or not the woman has reported the assault to law enforcement.  If you are not offered EC when you go to the emergency room after a sexual assault, you have the right to tell your healthcare provider that you want to prevent a possible pregnancy and that you want to take emergency contraception. If you have been raped or sexually assaulted and need assistance, go to your local emergency room or contact the New York State Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-942-6906 (English) or 1-800-942-6908 (Spanish) or The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE or www.rainn.org.