Back Up Birth Control Day

Today marks the eighth annual Back Up Your Birth Control  Day of Action, sponsored by the National Institute for Reproductive Health. 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 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 to learn more about emergency contraception, print out this fact sheet, and check out what you can do to help spread the word.

Also see the Emergency Contraception website, which I previously recommended. It has a very comprehensive FAQ and info on where to purchase EC worldwide.