EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION AND MEDICATION ABORTION:
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
| Emergency Contraception (EC or Morning After Pill) |
Abortion Pill / Medication Abortion (Mifepristone/RU-486) |
|
|---|---|---|
| What Does It Do? | Prevents a pregnancy after unprotected sex. | Ends a pregnancy |
| Names of Pills | Levonorgestrel (Plan B®) | Mifepristone (Mifeprex®) Misoprostol (Cytotec®) |
| What’s In The Pills? | Plan B® contains progestin. This is one of the hormones found in daily birth control pills. | Mifepristone stops a pregnancy from growing. Misoprostol causes cramping so the pregnancy can come out of the uterus. |
| When Do You Take It? | The sooner you take EC, the better it works. EC works up to 5 days after unprotected sex. The 2 pills can be taken together or 12 hours apart. | It works in early pregnancy, up to 9 weeks after your last period. Your healthcare provider will give you one pill to swallow in the office. You will take the second medicine at home. |
| What Happens to Your Body? | Most women feel fine. Some women have side effects but they don't last very long. Nausea is the most common side effect. Some women have vomiting, headache, dizziness, or breast pain. The next period can come a few days early or a few days late. |
After taking the mifepristone, most women feel fine. After using the second medication (misoprostol) at home, you will have heavy bleeding, often with clots. This lasts for a couple of hours. Afterwards, lighter bleeding may last 1-3 weeks. Pain varies from mild to very strong cramps off and on. Pain pills help. |
| How Well Does It Work? | EC lowers your chance of pregnancy by 85 to 99 percent. EC works best if you take the pills right after having unprotected sex. | The abortion pill works about 98-99% of the time. If they don't work, an aspiration abortion is needed. |
| Do Teens Have To Tell Their Parents? | No | Parental consent laws vary from state to state. To find out if parental consent laws apply in your state, visit the Center for Reproductive Rights at www.reproductiverights.org |
| How Much Does It Cost? | Plan B® costs about $50 for one pack. | The exact cost depends on where you go. |
| Insurance Coverage | Many private insurance plans do not cover Plan B®. In some states, Medicaid covers it. | Many insurance plans now cover medication abortion. |
| How Do You Find It? | Women 18 and older can get Plan B® in a pharmacy without a prescription. Women under 18 need a prescription to get Plan B®. Ask your health care provider or call (888) NOT-2-LATE or visit www.not-2-late.com |
Ask your health care provider, call (800) 772-9100, or go to www.prochoice.com/pregnant/find |