Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About...
How to Get Emergency Contraception
Should I get emergency contraceptive pills to keep in my medicine cabinet, just in case?
Yes, if you are sexually active (or plan to be), it’s a terrific
idea to get emergency contraceptive
pills ("morning after pills"
or "day after pills") before you
need them, so that you have them on hand.
If you are using progestin-only EC (like Plan B One-Step, Next Choice or Levonorgestrel Tablets), remember that it is more effective the sooner you take it after having sex without contraception, birth control failure, or rape. If you are using ella, you can take it up to 5 days after unprotected sex with no decline in effectiveness. It may take time to get a prescription and fill it, or find a pharmacy that carries EC, so call your doctor or pharmacy as soon as possible after unprotected sex.
You also have only a short time during which you can use emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy. But if you already have them in your medicine cabinet, you can start using emergency contraceptive pills right away – without having to get to your health care provider and/or find a pharmacy. (And the pills don’t expire for several years, so you can stay prepared for a long time).
For all of these reasons, the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists – the leading professional association of doctors
who specialize in women’s health – recommends providing
emergency contraceptive
pills in advance. Even so, you might find you need to take the
initiative because few health care providers think to talk to their
patients about emergency
contraception.
Click here for more information about how to get emergency contraceptive pills.
For a thorough and up-to-date academic review of the medical and social
science literature, including efforts to improve women’s access
to emergency contraception, click
here 
.