Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About…
**Please note: as of August 31, 2020, this site is no longer being updated**
Please choose from the following Main Categories of Questions:
Types of Emergency Contraception
What brands of emergency contraception
are available in the United States?
What brands of emergency contraceptive pills
are available around the world?
Which birth control pills can be used for emergency
contraception in the United States?
Which daily birth control
pills can be used for emergency contraception worldwide?
Can I use any birth control pills for emergency
contraception?
How to Get Emergency Contraception
Where can I get emergency contraception?
Do I need a prescription to get EC?
Do I need ID to buy EC?
Can I get EC online?
Should I get EC pills to
keep in my medicine cabinet, just in case?
How much does EC cost?
Is EC covered under the Affordable Care Act (health care reform)?
Can men buy EC?
Can I get emergency contraception at a Catholic
hospital?
What is the history of efforts to make EC available OTC in the United States?
When to Use Emergency Contraception
When might I need to use emergency contraception?
Who uses emergency contraception?
Do I need emergency contraception if I missed
one or more of my regular birth control pills?
How to Use Emergency Contraception
How do I use emergency contraceptive pills?
What doses should I take
of oral contraceptives that can be used for emergency contraception?
How long do I have after sex to take emergency
contraceptive pills?
What if I take the second dose of emergency
contraceptive pills late?
What if I take the second dose first?
How Emergency Contraception Works
How does emergency contraception prevent pregnancy?
Does emergency contraception cause an abortion?
How are emergency contraceptive pills different
from the abortion pill (Mifeprex, also referred to as RU-486)?
Risk of Pregnancy
What is my risk of getting pregnant if I have
sex without using contraception or my birth control fails?
Can I get pregnant if I have unprotected sex but
the man does not ejaculate (cum)?
Am I still at risk of pregnancy if I have sex
after taking emergency contraceptive pills?
When can I take a pregnancy test and be sure that
it is accurate?
If I have what appears to be a normal period, can I still be pregnant?
Side Effects
What are the side effects of emergency contraceptive
pills?
If I do not have any side effects, does that mean
the emergency contraceptive pills are not working?
What if I bleed after taking emergency contraceptive
pills?
When should I expect my next period after I take
emergency contraceptive pills?
Effectiveness
How effective is emergency contraception?
If I drink alcohol after taking emergency contraceptive
pills, will they be less effective?
Are emergency contraceptive pills effective for overweight or obese women?
Safety
Is emergency contraception safe?
Can I use emergency contraception even if I’ve
been told I shouldn’t use daily birth control pills?
Do emergency contraceptive pills increase my risk
of having an ectopic pregnancy (that’s when the pregnancy is outside
the uterus)?
Can emergency contraceptive pills cause birth
defects?
Can I use emergency contraceptive pills if I am
breastfeeding?
Is there a limit to the number of times I can
use emergency contraceptive pills?
Impact of Emergency Contraception
Why is emergency contraception important?
Will women stop using other forms of birth control
if emergency contraception is really easy to get?
If men know women can use emergency contraceptives,
will they be less likely to use condoms?