Emergency contraception is a form of backup birth control a woman can take after she has unprotected sex. It is also called Plan B, The Morning-After-Pill or EC. EC works by covering the egg in a protective coating that prevents any sperm from getting inside and fertilizing it. EC can also prevent the egg from leaving the ovary or traveling to the uterus.
Though EC is used as a backup option, it should not be used as regular birth control. It should be used only, as the name says, in an emergency. EC does not protect against any sexually transmitted diseases, so other birth control methods offer more safety and reliability overall. To learn more about these other options, check out the gURL Guide to Birth Control.
