Emergency contraception is birth control that prevents pregnancy after sexual intercourse, which is why it is sometimes called “the morning after pill.” You can use emergency contraception right away-or up to five days (120 hours) after intercourse- if you think your birth control might have failed due to missed doses of birth control pills, you didn’t use contraception, or you were forced to have sex. Emergency contraception makes it much less likely you will get pregnant.  If taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected intercourse, ECP reduces the chance of pregnancy by up to 89%. The sooner you take it, the more effective it will be. But emergency contraception is not as effective as birth control that’s used during sex, like the pill, Nuva Ring, Depo shot or condoms. So if you are sexually active or planning to be, don’t use emergency contraception as your only protection against pregnancy. Also, emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV (only condoms do). Plan B is not the same as the abortion pill. An abortion pill is a different medication taken after a missed period and after pregnancy is confirmed. We do not offer the abortion pill here at UHCS.

Here at University Health Services, we offer emergency contraception in the form Plan B, two pills containing Levonorgestrel, a hormone found in many birth control pills. Plan B contains a much higher dose of Levonorgestrel and without the addition of estrogen.  Please call for an appointment as soon as you realize you might need it. Our current price for Plan B is $25.00.

Emergency contraception is also available at pharmacies without a prescription for anyone age 18 or older. However, the cost is usually higher than our charges. If you have insurance which usually covers prescriptions, it will not cover emergency contraception without a prescription from your health care provider. It is a good idea to discuss with your healthcare provider the idea of having a written prescription on hand in case of a need when UHCS is closed on weekends or during breaks. To find the nearest pharmacy visit http://www.go2planb.com.