---
title: Back Up Birth Control Day
date: 2009-03-25T15:31:35-04:00
author: OBOS Admin
canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/back-up-birth-control-day"
section: Blog (Archive)
---
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[From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog](/blog)# Back Up Birth Control Day

By Christine Cupaiuolo • March 25, 2009

Please note: This entry -- originally posted at [Our Bodies, Our Blog](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog) -- has not been updated since the publication date listed above.

![back_up_birth_control](https://assets.ourbodiesourselves.org/images/blog-archive/back_up_birth_control.jpg "back_up_birth_control")Today marks the eighth annual [Back Up Your Birth Control Day of Action](http://backupyourbirthcontrol.org/), sponsored by the [National Institute for Reproductive Health](http://www.nirhealth.org/index.asp). It's a day to raise awareness about the safety and availability of emergency contraception.  
  
  
  
Sometimes referred to as the "morning-after pill," EC is a higher dosage of the same hormones found in many birth control pills. Taken within 120 hours after sex, they are safe and effective for preventing pregnancy.  
  
  
  
Coincidentally, EC has been a top news story this week due to [a judge's ruling](http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2009/03/judge-tells-fda-to-make-plan-b-available-over-the-counter-to-17-year-olds-and-to-consider-removing-all-restrictions) making over-the-counter sales of Plan B (the brand name for FDA-approved emergency contraception) available to women as young as 17.  
  
  
  
Visit [BackUpYourBirthControl.org](http://backupyourbirthcontrol.org/) to learn more about emergency contraception, print out [this fact sheet](http://backitup.hostcentric.com/documents/html/The%20Facts%20on%20EC%20&%20Plan%20B%201-11-07.htm), and [check out what you can do](http://backitup.hostcentric.com/takeaction/index.htm) to help spread the word.  
  
  
  
Also see the [Emergency Contraception website](http://ec.princeton.edu), which I previously [recommended](http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2009/03/judge-tells-fda-to-make-plan-b-available-over-the-counter-to-17-year-olds-and-to-consider-removing-all-restrictions). It has a very comprehensive [FAQ](http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/index.html) and info on [where to purchase](http://ec.princeton.edu/get-EC-now.html) EC worldwide.

---

#### 1 Response

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**Knitting Clio** on Mar 26, 2009

Thanks -- just blogged about this, one day late but better than not at all, right?

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