What is emergency contraception and how do I get it?

Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy if birth control was not used or if there is unexpected exposure to semen from a loose, broken, or forgotten condom. There are two types—pills, and copper IUD. They must be administered 3 to 5 days after semen exposure. Pills can be purchased, with or without a prescription, at a pharmacy or online, and can be taken without medical supervision. An IUD must be inserted by a healthcare provider. Save this question to your favorites if you'd like to talk about it more with your healthcare provider.