You can now see this page in Spanish, French, or Arabic. (Puede ver esta p�gina en espa�ol; vous pouvez aussi lire cette page en francais.)  

I Need Emergency Contraception NOW.
     Where can I get EC ("the morning after pill") in the United States?
     What brands of birth control pills can be used for EC (in any country of the world)?
 

I Need Information about Emergency Contraception
      The basics
     Frequently Asked Questions

 

I Am an EC Provider
     How do I get listed on your website?
 

About Us

The Emergency Contraception Website is operated by the Office of Population Research at Princeton University and by the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. For 2006, this project has been made possible by a generous grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. This website provides accurate information about emergency contraception derived from the medical literature. 

This website has no connection whatsoever with any companies that manufacture or sell emergency contraceptives.

What is Emergency Contraception?

Emergency contraceptives are methods of preventing pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. Emergency contraception is often called "morning after contraception," "the morning after pill," or "the day after pill," but these terms are misleading because emergency contraception can be used before the morning after or up to five days after.  Emergency contraceptives do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Emergency contraception can be used when a condom breaks, after a sexual assault, or any time unprotected sexual intercourse occurs. Do not use emergency contraceptives as your only protection against pregnancy if you are sexually active or planning to be, because they are not as effective as any ongoing contraceptive method. Emergency contraceptives include:

Where Can I Find Emergency Contraception?

In many countries, but not the United States, emergency contraceptive pills ("morning after pills") are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.  For the United States, we maintain a directory of providers who have informed our office that they are willing to provide information about and prescribe emergency contraceptives.  We also maintain a directory of emergency contraceptive pills available in each country.

Questions? Comments?

If you have questions about emergency contraception, please visit our page on frequently asked questions. If you cannot find an answer to your specific question, you can write to the e-mail address below.

If you have a story to share about your experience getting access to emergency contraception, please send it to us. All information will be used anonymously.  Send your comments to James Trussell, [email protected]


This website is peer reviewed by a panel of outside experts.  Last revised 4/2006.