Emergency contraception (EC), also known as post-coital contraception and the morning-after pill, refers to the use of drugs or a device as an emergency measure to prevent pregnancy. Women, who have had recent unprotected intercourse, including those who have had a failure of another method of contraception, are potential candidates for this intervention. It is intended for occasional or back-up use, not as a primary contraceptive method for routine use. The purpose of this document is to address the progestin-only and combined oral contraceptive methods (which are the most frequently used methods and also approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] specifically for emergency contraception) and briefly address the use of the copper intrauterine device (IUD) because of its use as both long-term contraception and emergency contraception. Recently approved 5-day emergency contraceptive (ulipristal acetate) by FDA is explored. Future possibilities are also reviewed. To maximize effectiveness, women should be educated about the availability of emergency contraception methods. Clinical evaluation is indicated for women who have used emergency contraceptive if menses are delayed by a week or more after the expected time or if lower abdominal pain or persistent irregular bleeding develops. Increasing emergency contraception (EC) awareness and knowledge are important priorities in the effort to prevent unwanted and unintended pregnancy.Read More