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Fast Facts
Emergency Contraception (EC)
What is emergency contraception and why is it important to women's health? |
Emergency contraception (EC), often referred to as the "morning-after" pill, contains the same active ingredients as ordinary birth control pills and can significantly reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant if taken soon after sex. EC can prevent a pregnancy before it occurs; it has no effect on an existing pregnancy. It may be used when other birth control methods fail or are not used, such as when women are sexually assaulted. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency contraceptive Plan B® for over-the-counter sales for women aged 18 and over. However, many women do not know about EC, and anti-choice groups have fought efforts to increase access to it. |
CURRENT STATE LAWS21 states have 32 laws and/or policies that improve women's access to EC: AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OK, OR, SC, VT, WA, WI.
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14 states have laws that increase sexual-assault survivors' access to EC or information about EC in hospitals: AR, CA, CO, CT, IL, MA, MN, NJ, NM, NY, OR, SC, WA, WI.
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9 states allow pharmacists to provide EC to any woman without a prescription: AK, CA, HI, ME, MA, NH, NM, VT, WA.
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8 states provide Medicaid coverage of over-the-counter EC: HI, IL, MD, NJ, NY, OK, OR, WA. |
2008 STATE LEGISLATION16 states and the District of Columbia considered 50 measures that would allow women greater access to EC: AZ, DC, FL, HI, IL, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, WV, WI.
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13 states and the District of Columbia considered 29 measures that would ensure that sexual-assault survivors receive access to EC or information about EC in hospitals: AZ, DC, FL, HI, MI, MN, MO, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, WV, WI.
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3 states considered 5 measures that would allow pharmacists to provide EC to women without a prescription: IL, NJ, NY.
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2 states considered 4 measures that would provide Medicaid coverage of over-the-counter EC: HI, NY. |
2008 FEDERAL LEGISLATIONLawmakers have sponsored a number of pieces of pro-choice legislation related to emergency contraception, including bills to ensure that EC is offered to sexual-assault survivors in hospitals, to guarantee that women can receive EC from pharmacies without lecture or delay, to make EC available to women in the military, and to fund EC public-education campaigns. The Prevention First Act also contains several provisions that would improve women’s access to EC. Unfortunately, anti-choice lawmakers have blocked these measures. |
| For a map of all states with Emergency Contraception (EC) - click here. | |
