Regular Pills as Emergency Contraception: A Guide

If you have an accident, are raped or just had sex without pregnancy protection, you can easily use the oral contraceptive pill the same way you would use the morning-after emergency contraceptive pills from the doctor or pharmacy.

You may not have any pills to spare, but a friend might.

Princeton University (at the bottom of this chart) says: ‘All of the brands listed here may be effective when used within 120 hours after unprotected sex, but should be taken as soon as possible.’ Source: Princeton University

Table 1. Oral contraceptives that can be used for emergency contraception in the United Statesand many other countries – check the doses and match them up.

Brand	Company	First Dose^b	Second Dose^b (12 hours later)	Ulipristal Acetate per Dose (mg)	Ethinyl Estradiol per Dose (µg)	Levonorgestrel per Dose (mg)^c
*Ulipristal acetate (Dedicated EC pills)*
ella	Afaxys	1 white pill	None^b	30	–	–
*Progestin-only (Dedicated EC pills)*
Plan B One-Step	Teva	1 white pill	None	–	–	1.5
Take Action	Teva	1 white pill	None	–	–	1.5
Next Choice One Dose	Actavis	1 peach pill	None	–	–	1.5
AfterPill	Syzygy	1 white pill	None	–	–	1.5
My Way	Gavis	1 white pill	None	–	–	1.5
Levonorgestrel Tablets	Perrigo	2 white pills	None^b	–	–	1.5
*Combined progestin and estrogen pills (Regular oral contraceptive pills)*
Altavera	Sandoz	4 peach pills	4 peach pills	–	120	0.60
Amethia	Watson	4 white pills	4 white pills	–	120	0.60
Amethia Lo	Watson	5 white pills	5 white pills	–	100	0.50
Amethyst	Watson	6 white pills	6 white pills	–	120	0.54
Aviane	Teva	5 orange pills	5 orange pills	–	100	0.50
Camrese	Teva	4 light blue-green pills	4 light blue-green pills	–	120	0.60
CamreseLo	Teva	5 orange pills	5 orange pills	–	100	0.50
Cryselle	Teva	4 white pills	4 white pills	–	120	0.60
Enpresse	Teva	4 orange pills	4 orange pills	–	120	0.50
Introvale	Sandoz	4 peach pills	4 peach pills	–	120	0.60
Jolessa	Teva	4 pink pills	4 pink pills	–	120	0.60
Lessina	Teva	5 pink pills	5 pink pills	–	100	0.50
Levora	Watson	4 white pills	4 white pills	–	120	0.60
Lo/Ovral	Akrimax	4 white pills	4 white pills	–	120	0.60
LoSeasonique	Teva	5 orange pills	5 orange pills	–	100	0.50
Low-Ogestrel	Watson	4 white pills	4 white pills	–	120	0.60
Lutera	Watson	5 white pills	5 white pills	–	100	0.50
Lybrel	Wyeth	6 yellow pills	6 yellow pills	–	120	0.54
Nordette	Teva	4 light-orange pills	4 light-orange pills	–	120	0.60
Ogestrel	Watson	2 white pills	2 white pills	–	100	0.50
Portia	Teva	4 pink pills	4 pink pills	–	120	0.60
Quasense	Watson	4 white pills	4 white pills	–	120	0.60
Seasonale	Teva	4 pink pills	4 pink pills	–	120	0.60
Seasonique	Teva	4 light-blue-green pills	4 light-blue-green pills	–	120	0.60
Sronyx	Watson	5 white pills	5 while pills	–	100	0.50
Trivora	Watson	4 pink pills	4 pink pills	–	120	0.50

Notes:^aella, Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, My Way and Take Action are dedicated products specifically marketed for emergency contraception.

The regular oral contraceptives listed above have been declared safe and effective for use as ECPs by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Outside the United States, about 100 emergency contraceptive products are specifically packaged, labelled, and marketed.

Levonorgestrel-only ECPs are available either over-the-counter or from a pharmacist without having to see a clinician in 60 countries.

In the U.S., progestin-only EC, like Plan B One-Step, is available on the shelf with no restrictions. ella is available by prescription only.

^b The label for Levonorgestrel Tablets says to take one pill within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse, and another pill 12 hours later. However, research has found that both pills can be taken at the same time.

All of the brands listed here may be effective when used within 120 hours after unprotected sex, but should be taken as soon as possible. ^c

The progestin in Cryselle, Lo/Ovral, Low-Ogestrel and Ogestrel is norgestrel, which contains two isomers, only one of which (levonorgestrel) is bioactive; the amount of norgestrel in each tablet is twice the amount of levonorgestrel.