How to Get Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraceptive Plan B is now available as an over-the-counter product in pharmacies nationwide. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Plan B to be sold without a prescription to individuals age 18 and older. To purchase Plan B in your pharmacy, you have to go to the pharmacy counter, ask for Plan B, and present a "government-issued" I.D. The medication usually costs between $30-60.

If you are under age 18, you still require a prescription for EC in most states. However, the following states allow pharmacists to prescribe emergency contraceptive pills directly to women under 18:
Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington State. You should still call ahead to make sure there will be a pharmacist who can prescribe EC to you. For locations, check out the websites below.

Many hospitals, clinics, gynecologists and college health centers prescribe and dispense EC, although most do not advertise that they offer it. Minors do not need their parents’ permission to get EC (or any other kind of birth control). Many family planning clinics and colleges offer EC to their patients at a reduced cost or even for free. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists  recommends that women keep a dose of EC at home in case of an emergency. Ask your health care provider if they offer this service, called advance prescription.  If you were refused EC, click here to learn about what you can do.

Hotlines and Websites

• The website www.not-2-late.com maintains a list of providers of emergency contraception across the country. Names, addresses, and phone numbers of nearby providers are stored in a database on the site. It is available in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic.The website also has information about the cost of EC.

• Planned Parenthood also provides emergency contraceptive services. To find the nearest Planned Parenthood, call toll-free: 1-800-230-PLAN.

• The website www.getthepill.com offers online prescriptions for both EC and birth control pills in these states: CA, CO, DC, GA, HI, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, and WI.

• The website www.ineedec.org is a website for teens that offers advice on how to talk to your doctor about EC, as well as how to get EC.