About Emergency Contraception (EC)
Emergency contraception (EC) - also known as the "morning-after" pill - is a type of birth control pill that you can take to prevent pregnancy after sex. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three EC products: Plan B®, Plan B® One-Step, and the generic version, Next Choice™. Read more about these products (PDF) A fourth EC product, marketed as ella®, is currently under review by the FDA. Ella® has a different chemical make-up than the other EC products on the market. Ella® has been shown to be safe and effective and would offer women another option to prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Read more about ella® (PDF). EC is safe and effective - but it's more effective the sooner you use it. It should not take the place of other types of birth control like "the pill," condoms, the birth control shot, etc. EC is NOT the abortion pill or RU-486. It will not work if you are already pregnant. It will not hurt your body or your pregnancy if you took it before you knew you were pregnant. EC will NOT protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. Use condoms every time you have sex to protect yourself against STIs and HIV/AIDS. Where can I get EC?
Women ages 17 and older with ID can obtain EC from a pharmacist without a prescription. Go to the pharmacy counter at your local drug store. Women under 17 or women without ID can get EC with a prescription from a health care provider or from a specially trained pharmacist participating in the EC pharmacy access program. Visit the Mass EC Network for a list of participating pharmacies. Teens in Massachusetts are guaranteed confidential, low-cost family planning services, including EC. All women can get EC from a doctor or health care provider. Go online or call 617-624-6060 (M-F, 9-5) for a list of family planning clinics in Massachusetts. Men ages 17 and older can also get EC from their pharmacist without a prescription. Men under 17 can NOT get a prescription for EC, even through pharmacy access. If you were raped or forced to have sex, you can call the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center at 1-800-841-8371 (English) or Llamanos Y Hablemos at 1-800-223-5001 (Spanish) for help. What does "over-the-counter" mean and will EC be on the shelf with other over-the-counter products, like condoms?
Over-the-counter means that you can buy EC from a pharmacy without a prescription. However, EC will be kept behind the pharmacist counter. You will need to show ID to prove you are over 17 to get it. How much does EC cost? The price for EC over-the-counter ranges from $25-$55 and may vary at different pharmacies. MassHealth will help pay for EC, but only if you buy it with a prescription from a doctor or specially trained pharmacist. If you have other insurance, ask your pharmacist if your insurance company will help pay for EC. Is EC safe for teens under 17? Yes. EC is safe for women of all ages. In addition, research shows that easier access to EC does NOT increase sexual risk taking and does NOT reduce the use of regular ongoing birth control.
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