Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraception is an FDA-approved form of contraception that prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex, birth control failure, or sexual assault. It is also known as the "morning-after pill." Access to emergency contraception has increased, but barriers to this safe and effective method of pregnancy prevention remain. We're working to ensure that women have access to emergency contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy.

More Resources

Webinars & Presentations | If You Really Care about Intimate Partner Violence, You Should Care about Reproductive Justice

October 06, 2010

A webinar with Jill Morisson (senior counsel, NWLC)

Watch the full webinar

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Webinars & Presentations | If You Really Care about Intimate Partner Violence, You Should Care about Reproductive Justice, Powerpoint

October 06, 2010

The powerpoint presenation for the If You Really Care about Intimate Partner Violence, You Should Care about Reproductive Justice webinar with Jill Morrison (senior counsel, NWLC).

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Fact Sheet | If You Really Care About Intimate Partner Violence, You Should Care About Reproductive Justice

March 30, 2010

A society that respects the sexual and procreative rights of each individual will be a society with less violence against women, and that provides greater support to those who experience violence within their relationships. By advancing reproductive justice, you are working toward the elimination of violence against women.

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Fact Sheet | Drugstore Dilemma: What to Do If Your Pharmacy Won't Give You Birth Control Pills or Emergency Contraception (the "Morning-After Pill")

November 15, 2009

This factsheet was updated in May of 2011, for the most recent Drugstore Dilemma fact sheet please visit here.

There have been increasing reports of pharmacists and pharmacies refusing to fill women’s prescriptions for birth control, including emergency contraception (the “morning-after pill” or EC). These refusals to dispense prescription contraceptives are based on personal beliefs, not on legitimate medical or professional concerns. The same pharmacists who refuse to dispense contraceptives because of their personal beliefs often refuse to transfer a woman’s prescription to another pharmacist or to refer her to another pharmacy. These refusals can have devastating consequences for women’s health.

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Fact Sheet | Providing Emergency Contraception to Sexual Assault Survivors

August 05, 2009

Emergency contraception (EC) is an FDA-approved form of contraception that prevents pregnancy. Timely access to EC is particularly important for victims of sexual assault. Providing EC to survivors is an integral component of a comprehensive medical response to sexual assault – failure to provide EC as an option can deny survivors control over their bodies at a critical time and cause further trauma by forcing them to confront an unwanted pregnancy. Unfortunately, many hospital emergency rooms – Catholic hospitals in particular – do not provide information about or access to EC to survivors of sexual assault.

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