March 25 is the Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign Day of Action dedicated to increasing awareness of emergency contraception (aka EC, the morning after pill, or the brand name Plan B). EC is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. If the condom broke, you used birth control incorrectly, had unprotected sex, or were sexually assaulted, EC may be right for you.

EC can be started up to five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. It reduces the risk of pregnancy by 75–89 percent if taken within three days (72 hours) after unprotected sex. The sooner it is started, the better.

EC is available at Planned Parenthood health centers throughout the country, as well as at many pharmacies. Currently EC can be obtained over the counter for those 18 or older (and by prescription for those under 18), although a federal court decision released just yesterday ruled that the FDA must make Plan B available over the counter to women age 17 and older within 30 days.

EC is more effective the sooner you take it, so it’s a good idea to keep a stash in your medicine cabinet as a backup birth control method .

Help us raise awareness of EC by RSVPing to our Back Up Your Birth Control event on Facebook , and don't forget to invite your friends. Also check out the emergency contraception playlist on Planned Parenthood's YouTube channel , and take teenwire.com's Emergency Contraception 101 quiz to test your EC knowledge.

Have a happy (and safe!) Back Up Your Birth Control Day!

-Kendall at Planned Parenthood Action Fund

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