Unintended pregnancy is surprisingly common. At least half of
all pregnancies in the United States each year are mistimed or
unplanned, because birth control measures were not used or those
that were used did not work. An emergency contraceptive pill is
available to provide women with another option for preventing
unintended pregnancy It is considered one of the best-kept
secrets of reproductive medicine, but emergency contraception is
not new—it has been around for over 30 years. Oral
contraceptives have been used for years for that purpose. There
are many brands that can be used . There are also products that
have been developed specifically for use only in an emergency.
Emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy in a variety of
ways. Depending on the time of the month in a woman's cycle, the
drug may prevent ovulation (release of the egg from the ovary),
interfere with fertilization, or prevent a fertilized egg from
attaching in the uterus. They will not induce an abortion if a
woman is already pregna