Like all emergency preparedness, it's important to have the right supplies on hand and an action plan! We recommend that everyone should have a fire extinguisher at home and it’s the same for emergency contraception – especially since the sooner you take it, the better it can work for you.

The most commonly available emergency contraceptive is levonorgestrel (AKA Plan B, Next Choice, Norlevo, Postinor, etc) and it is often available without a prescription at pharmacies and other stores. It can be stored at home in a cool, dry place (like a drawer in your bedside table) for up to 4 years. The other emergency contraceptive containing ulipristal acetate (AKA Ella or Ellaone) is not available everywhere around the world and in some countries. You need a prescription; but you can still ask for it ahead of time from your healthcare provider and store it for future emergencies, like if a condom breaks, or you forget to take your regular birth control method on time!

To make sure you choose the EC method that’s right for you, it’s important to know that levonorgestrel-based EC pills like Plan B are less likely to be effective for people who weigh 165 lbs or more and ulipristal acetate-based pills, like Ella, may be less effective for people who weigh 195 lbs or more. However, if this is what is available to you – you should still take them. And great news, the Copper IUD, which must be inserted by a healthcare provider, is equally effective for everyone regardless of weight.

If you want to learn more about emergency contraception and how to use it, a great resource for teens (or anyone!) is www.bedsider.org or listen to these videos from trusted health care professionals .

Opportunities also exist to help get the word out about emergency contraception and to increase access to it, especially for young people, find out how to get involved at The American Society for EC and The European Consortium for EC. These organizations also have great resources for both patients and providers.