What is EC and what forms of EC are available in the US?
EC is a way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse has occurred. Ecs available in the United States include: emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) as well as the Copper T intrauterine device (IUD). The most prescribed form of emergency contraception is oral contraceptive pills that are taken in a higher than usual dose. Currently, Plan B® is the only emergency contraceptive (EC) pill being sold in the United States. These pills must be taken within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex. They work in the same ways that regular birth control pills work to prevent pregnancy — by stopping the egg from being released or by changing the lining of the uterus so an egg can’t attach and grow. If a woman is already pregnant (the egg already attached to the uterus lining) by the time she takes ECP, the pregnancy is not interrupted and the baby is not harmed. Plan B is what you have when Plan A fails! Plan B® is the first progestin-only (no estrogen) emergency contraceptive produc
