Emergency Contraception (EC) is a safe and effective form of back-up birth control that can prevent pregnancy if taken within 120 hours – or 5 days – of unprotected sex, contraceptive failure, or sexual assault. EC is most effective the sooner it is taken, ideally within the first 24 to 48 hours;therefore timely access to this important medication is essential to all women.
Previously, women of all ages needed a prescription from a doctor in order to access EC. However, in August of 2006 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved EC, brand name Plan B, for sale over-the-counter without a prescription for women 18 years of age and older. In 2013, EC was made available to women of all ages without needed a prescription.
In order to provide local women with more information about accessing EC, the Campaign for Access to Emergency Contraception has conducted a survey of local pharmacies to find out which ones carry over-the-counter EC and how much it costs.
We have also compiled a list of other local points of access for EC, such as Planned Parenthood, McKinley Health Center, and the Urbana School Based Health Center.