Are Morning After Pills Over the Counter?

Even women using the most reliable forms of birth control may experience one of those “uh-oh” moments at some point in their lives. The second you realize the condom broke or you forgot to take your birth control pill can be a terrifying one. Over the counter emergency contraception is your best defense against unplanned pregnancy once sex has already occurred. You are probably wondering ‘are morning after pills over the counter?’ The answer is yes! While there are certain day after pills that require a prescription, others are available over the counter. One popular OTC morning after pill is EContra EZ. This medication can be taken up to 3 days after unprotected sex has occurred. It is most effective however when taken as soon as possible after the incident occurred. Because the morning after pill over the counter is now easily accessible, it’s wise to have one to keep on hand in case a backup method of birth control is ever needed.

Condom Broke

While most often condoms are very successful in preventing pregnancy (as well as several STDs) there are different conditions that can make a condom break. If it is old, for example, the latex often becomes fragile and may rip or tear easily. In other cases, it could simply be friction that make the break happen. While you had every intention of having safe sex, you have now opened yourself up to potential pregnancy or STD exposure. While the OTC morning after pill unfortunately cannot protect you from STDs, it CAN protect you against pregnancy. How? Well, there are several ways that the day after pill can work but most commonly it prevents ovulation from occurring. Ovulation is when the egg is released. Without an egg present, there can be no pregnancy. What many women may not realize is that sperm can actually live in the body for up to 3 days so even if you aren’t ovulating at the precise moment that unprotected sex occurs, it is possible for the egg and sperm to meet afterwards.
There are several ways that you can get over the counter emergency contraception. It basically comes down to personal preference and also what’s in stock at your local pharmacy. The day after pill is not something that all local pharmacies keep in stock. You can always call prior to heading there or you can skip all that and simply order online. This is also a less embarrassing and typically more comfortable way to deal with the situation.

OTC Morning After Pill

Prior to the OTC morning after pill, many women felt like they had no say in what happened to their bodies if their normal contraceptive method failed. Now, with its accessibility to those 17 and older, the day after pill gives women a choice.