EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION AND MEDICATION ABORTION:
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
| Emergency Contraception (EC or Morning After Pill) |
Abortion Pill / Medication Abortion | |
|---|---|---|
| What Does It Do? | Prevents a pregnancy after unprotected sex - it's contraception (birth control). | Ends a pregnancy - it's an abortion. |
| Names of Pills | Plan B One-StepTM, Next Choice®, ella®, and others. | Mifepristone (Mifeprex®) Misoprostol (Cytotec®) |
| What’s In The Pills? | Most brands of EC contain the progestin levonorgestrel, one of the hormones found in daily birth control pills. ella® contains a different hormone, ulipristal, which is not in regular 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? | Levonorgestrel: The sooner you take levonorgestrel pills, the better it works. It works up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Some packs contain 1 pill, and some packs contain 2 pills. The 2 pills can be taken together. Ulipristal (ella®): works just as well 5 days after sex as it does the first day. |
It works in early pregnancy, up to 9 weeks after your last period. Your health care provider will give you one pill to swallow in the office. You take the second medicine at home. |
| What Happens to Your Body? | Most women don't experience side effects from EC. Some women have nausea, vomiting, headache, or dizziness for a short time after taking the pills. The next period may come a few days early or late. |
After taking the first pill, most women feel fine. After using the second medication at home, women have heavy bleeding, often with clots. This lasts for a couple of hours. Cramps vary from mild to strong. |
| How Much Does It Cost? | EC costs about $35 - $60 for one pack. | The exact cost depends on where you go for care. It is generally several hundred dollars. |
| Insurance Coverage | Some insurance plans cover EC. In some states, Medicaid covers it. | Many insurance plans now cover medication abortion. In some states, Medicaid covers it. |
| How Do You Find It? | Levonorgestrel is available at a pharmacy without a prescription for anyone who is 17 and older. Women under 17 need a prescription to get it. Ulipristal is only available with a prescription. Ask your health care provider or visit www.not-2-late.com |
You must get it from a health care provider in their office, not at a pharmacy. You may be able to get it from your primary care provider. If not, you can call (800) 772-9100, or go to www.prochoice.org/pregnant to find a medication abortion provider in your area. |