The “morning after pill” or emergency contraception (EC) is a hormonal pill intended to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. In general, it is not harmful to take EC while using a hormonal birth control method, it just might not be needed. If a woman is using a hormonal birth control method correctly, consistently and all of the time there is no reason to take EC. If she is not using her method as intended (for example she misses a few pills or forget to insert her Nuva ring) and has unprotected sex, EC might be a good choice to ensure pregnancy prevention. Because it depends on what method someone is using and when they had unprotected sex, it’s important to speak with a health care provider to find out whether EC is right for your situation. Contact your own doctor or Teen Clinic if you have a specific scenario. Remember – neither hormonal birth control methods nor EC protect against STIs. Be sure to use condoms and get tested if you are risk for STI transmission.

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