How to Use Emergency Contraceptives

Use emergency contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.

Emergency contraceptives are used after unprotected sexual intercourse. These contraceptives are designed to stop a pregnancy from occurring or from implanting after you have sex. You can use these if you did not use birth control, if your birth control failed, or if you were raped or forced to have sex. You can either take a larger-than-normal dose of certain birth controls, or you can obtain what is known as the "morning-after pill," which goes by the brand Plan B in the United States.

Things You'll Need

• Birth control pills or Plan B

Instructions

Using Plan B

1. Consider emergency contraceptives within 5 days of having unprotected sex. Although they're often called "morning-after pills," Plan B is effective for up to 5 days.

2. Call ahead to the pharmacy to see if it has Plan B available. When you get to the pharmacy, you must ask the pharmacist for the emergency contraceptives because they are kept behind the counter. Show identification proving that you are at least 18 years old. If you are not 18, you must see a health care provider for a prescription.

3. Take your first dose of Plan B when you receive the pills. Take your second dose 12 hours later. Alternatively, you can take both doses at the same time.

Using Regular Birth Control Pills

1. Call your doctor to ask if your regular brand of birth control pills can be used as emergency contraceptives. You can also go to the Emergency Contraception: Birth Control Pills page in the Resources section to see if your birth control pills are listed. If your birth control pills are not able to be used as emergency contraceptives, follow the steps above for using Plan B.

2. Take the pills as directed by your doctor or by the website listed. Read the instructions carefully, as some will require you to take four, five or six pills twice over 12 hours.

3. Call your doctor for a refill prescription to replace the pills that you took.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't get your period within a month after using emergency contraceptives, call your doctor to make sure that you are not pregnant.

• You may experience nausea while using emergency contraceptives. If you vomit within an hour of taking a dose of pills, call your doctor to find out what you should do. If you experience any symptoms of a blood clot, stroke or heart attack while using emergency contraceptives, discontinue use and seek emergency medical care.

References

• The Emergency Contraception Website

Resources

• Emergency Contraception: Birth Control Pills