Today is Back Up Your Birth Control Day and while all you college students are heading to tropical locales to do some hard-earned partying, don't forget your EC!
EC, or Emergency Contraception (also known as the "Morning-After Pill") is a safe and effective drug that can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89% when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.
It is now available over-the-counter (you don't need a prescription, but it is truly "behind-the-counter" because you must ask a pharmacist for it), if you are age 17 or older. New research shows that EC may be effective up to 120 hours after unprotected sex. Stock up BEFORE you need it; no one wants a south of the border pregnancy scare!
While EC is totally safe and effective for women of ALL ages, the FDA refuses to make it available over-the-counter for anyone who is age 16 or under. Their refusal is not based on science and it is putting young women's lives and health at risk.
Young women, age 16 and under, face the most obstacles when it comes to obtaining EC from a doctor. They have concerns about confidentiality and cost that prohibit their access. Making EC available OTC for this population is necessary.
Sign the Center for Reproductive Rights' petition to urge the FDA to act on the submitted request to approve the drug for OTC use among young women.
Have fun, be safe and remember to back up your birth control with EC! Find an EC provider near you here.
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