Emergency Contraception Pills ("Morning After Pills")
There are four different types of emergency contraceptive pills ("morning after pills") available around the world. Check this page to see which pills are available where you live.
The first type of emergency contraceptive pill contains a hormone called progestin (learn more about these emergency contraceptive pills). This is the only type of pill available specifically for emergency contraception in the United States (sold under the brand names Plan B, Plan B One-Step, and Next Choice). Progestin-only pills can reduce your risk of getting pregnant by 89% (What does that mean?). You are also less likely to have side effects if you use these pills for emergency contraception, as compared with combined pills (see below).
The second type of emergency contraceptive pill uses both the hormones progestin and called estrogen (learn more about these "combined" emergency contraceptive pills). Many brands of the daily birth control pill can be used for emergency contraception in the United States (find out which ones here). These pills cut your chances of getting pregnant by 75% (What does that mean?), and you are more likely to experience side effects like nausea and vomiting.
The third type of emergency contraceptive pill contains ulipristal acetate (also known as CDB-2914), and is available only in Europe, sold as ellaOne. It has been found to be highly effective and well-tolerated.
The fourth type of emergency contraceptive pill contains small doses of mifepristone. This pill is also highly effective, with few side-effects. This type of emergency contraceptive pill is currently available only in China.
Remember:
- Some people call emergency contraceptive pills "morning after pills," but you don't have to wait until the morning after. You can take the pills right away or use them up to five days after sex if you did not use birth control, you think your birth control failed, or you were forced to have sex. (Wondering if you really could get pregnant? Find out here.) Also, the sooner you take emergency contraceptive pills, the better they work.
- You can use pills labeled for emergency contraception or certain brands of daily birth control pills to prevent pregnancy after sex. (Find out which ones here).
For a more detailed academic review of the medical and social science
literature about emergency contraception, click
here 
.