Emergency Contraception (EC)

The condom broke...
You forgot your birth control...
You had sex when you didn't want to...

Then emergency contraception (EC) might be right for you.

What is emergency contraception?
Sometimes called the morning after pill or Plan B, emergency contraception prevents pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. You can begin the process up to five days after unprotected intercourse.

How effective is it?
The sooner you begin taking EC, the better it will work. Only about one percent of women who take the pills within three days after unprotected intercourse will become pregnant.

Is emergency contraception an abortion?
There is a rumor that EC causes an abortion, which are not true. Instead, EC is made up of the same hormones as birth control, which prevent the woman's ovaries from releasing eggs.

Where can you get EC?
If you are over 18 years old, you can buy EC at any Planned Parenthood, including VLPP, or a drugstore without a prescription. If you are younger than 18, you will first have to get a prescription from your health care provider.