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THERE’S A SAFE, EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT PREGNANCY AFTER UNPROTECTED SEX OR BIRTH CONTROL FAILURE. When taken within 72 hours, emergency contraception can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent. FDA approved, the safety and efficacy of this back-up birth control method has been confirmed by leading medical and public health organizations. EVERY WOMAN COULD USE A BACK UP. Even with
all the highly effective contraceptives to choose from today, none
provides 100% protection. And sometimes, mistakes happen –
a condom breaks, a diaphragm slips, a woman forgets to take her
pill. Or she has sex when she didn’t plan to – or want
to. In fact, women who use a regular birth control method account
for just over half of all unintended pregnancies. EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION IS JUST THAT – A BIRTH CONTROL METHOD FOR WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS. It prevents a pregnancy from starting. Just like the daily pill, emergency contraceptive pills delay or prevent the release of a woman’s egg (ovulation), inhibit fertilization, or prevent implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. This is not a method of abortion. If you are already pregnant, it will not affect an existing pregnancy. EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION PREVENTS UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES AND REDUCES THE NEED FOR ABORTION. The U.S. has a high rate of unintended pregnancy – nearly 3 million a year – and about half of them result in abortion. Widespread knowledge and use of emergency contraception has the potential to dramatically reduce these numbers. In 2000, this back-up birth control method was the “best-kept secret” in women’s health, yet it still prevented more than 50,000 abortions. ADULTS CAN GET EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION OVER-THE-COUNTER IN THE UNITED STATES. EC is available without a prescription to women 18 and older at the pharmacy. Women younger than 18 need a prescription from their doctor or other health care provider. |