“Fact of the matter is no teen as young as 13, 14 or 15 should be having sex. If you want to feel the pleasure ‘lotion up' and do it yourself!!!”
—Jonathan, 13, DE
What is emergency contraception? Is it the same as the "morning-after pill"?
Emergency contraception (EC) is a high dose of birth control pills that a female can take up to five days after having unprotected sexual intercourse. It is also referred to as the "morning-after pill."
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Basically, EC is used for emergencies—the condom breaks, a girl forgets to take her birth control pill or she is raped—to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse has already happened.
EC has fake—or synthetic—hormones that stop a female from ovulating (releasing an egg), prevent fertilization of an egg or stop a fertilized egg from implanting or attaching to the uterus. All three would prevent a pregnancy.
There is only one brand of EC available in the U.S. called Plan B. A girl takes two doses of Plan B -- one as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse, and another a certain number of hours later.
When taken within three days of unprotected sex, EC prevents pregnancy about 75 to 89 percent of the time. The sooner it is taken after unprotected sex, the better the chances that it will work.
The pills come with some side effects, including nausea and vomiting. If a girl vomits less than an hour after taking EC, she should repeat the dose. Other common side effects are irregular periods and spotting for a month or so after using EC.
If you are under 18 years old you will need to get a prescription for emergency contraception unless you live in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Washington State. If you live in one of these states you can get emergency contraception directly from a pharmacist.
If you are 18 or older you can now get Plan B directly from a pharmacist.
If you need a prescription for EC, you can find a health care provider near you by calling the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (668-2528). You can also find a list of providers, as well as answers to your questions about EC, at NOT-2-LATE.com, the Emergency Contraception Web site.
Some girls and women get a prescription for EC in advance, to have on hand, just in case something happens. You can get EC without your parent's permission. But, remember, EC should never be used as a regular form of birth control.
EC is not nearly as effective as other forms of birth control, such as the Pill or Depo-Provera, which prevent pregnancy about 97 percent of the time, compared to EC's 75- to 89-percent effectiveness rate.
Cost varies, depending on where you get EC. Some clinics and doctor's office will offer a low-cost or sliding scale fee for teens. For more information and to find a provider, go to www.not-2-late.com or call 1-(888) NOT-2-LATE (668-2528).
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Your Comments
EhHelp?
Posted by: Shaldre on Aug 2nd, 2008 11:35am
I'd like to know a few things, Is there any way to get tha
morning after pill, without being 18, and without having
your parents find out?And how much does it cost
RE: Can he buy it?
Posted by: DanR on Aug 1st, 2008 2:09pm
YES! If he is 18 years of age or older all he has to do is
go to the pharmacy (he will need to bring ID) and he should
be able to purchase EC over the counter. For specific laws
in individual states, please check out this link:
http://www.sexetc.org/state.
Can he buy it?
Posted by: tikitori75 on Aug 1st, 2008 12:52pm
im 17 and i know i would have to get a prescription for the
EC pill in my state since im under 18, but my boyfriend is
18.. so can he get it for me without needing a prescription?
RE: Thanks!
Posted by: DanR on Jun 13th, 2008 10:00am
I don't really feel that I can answer your question as I am
not a doctor or medical health expert. I can tell you that
each person's situation varies. I think that it is
important for you to contact your health care provider and
ask them these questions (these are very important
questions). It's great that you are thinking about these
things now before you start having sex. Good Luck!
Thanks!
Posted by: Baby2 on Jun 12th, 2008 8:53pm
Thanks DanR! My boyfriend and i plan to have sex only once
or twice a month, do u still believe that taking Plan B
every time we have sex would be risky even though i would
only take it once or twice a month? i wouldnt find it very
useful to take another form of birth control like the pill
or the patch cause we are not gona have sex like everyday.
I'll start thinking about the pill or patch but later in the
future..what would you recommend because i really dont want
to get pregnant either
RE: Would this work?
Posted by: DanR on Jun 12th, 2008 1:46pm
Plan B is an emergency contraceptive, which means that it is
a high dose of birth control that can be taken to prevent an
unwanted pregnancy. Because the dose of hormones in these
drugs can be so high, some people do experience side effects
such as abdominal pain, fatigue, and irregular bleeding, so
it is not recommended to use Plan B on a regular basis. For
more information on Plan B, see this link:
http://www.sexetc.org/story/birth_control/2220.
Would this work?
Posted by: Baby2 on Jun 12th, 2008 11:08am
Would it be very effective to actually use a condom
correctly during sex and take Plan b right after your done
just to make sure you dont get pregnant? or are their risks
to it?
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RE: EhHelp?
Posted by: DanR on Aug 4th, 2008 11:48am
Anyone over the age of 18 can purchase EC without a
prescription, so if you have a friend, sibling, or cousin
who is over 18 and cen get it for you, that might be your
best bet. They will need to bring ID to purchase it. If not,
I would suggest finding a clinic nearby that you can go to
and will keep your visit confidential. The cost will vary
depending on where you go and if they will do a sliding
scale fee for you. Remember you only have 5 days to take
the pill from the time of intercourse.