Go to Content Go to Navigation Go to Navigation Go to Site Search Homepage

Emergency Contraception

Emergency Contraception (EC) is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy—and it's available at our health centers at no cost, so it's easy to be prepared. Just in case.

 

EC (aka "Plan B") can prevent pregnancy up to five days after sex. (However, it is most effective if used in the first 72 hours.) Have some on hand in case you need it: you can get EC at our health centers at no cost in Albany, Troy and Hudson. We have Ella, which is a prescription brand of emergency contraception and a patient will need to see a provider. Click here to make an appointment online, or call 1-800-230-PLAN. Everyone can use some back-up.

What EC is
It is the same hormone found in many birth control pills. It is used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Many people know it as "Plan B" or "the morning after pill."

Want to learn more? Listen to our Podcast episode on Emergency Contraception HERE.

What EC isn't
It is not RU486 (the "abortion pill") nor is EC routine birth control. It should only be taken in emergencies. It will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections.

Where can you get EC*?

  • Planned Parenthood Health Centers: click here to find the clinic nearest to you
  • Toll free hotline: call 1-800-NOT2LATE
  • Your local pharmacy

Remember, EC is a Back Up. Do you have a reliable method of birth control?
EC is not routine birth control. It should only be taken in emergencies. It will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STI's). If you are using EC then you have had unprotected sex and possibly exposed yourself to an STI. Please make an appointment at Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood today to get tested. Click here to make an appointment online.

Birth Control
There are many methods of reliable birth control. Let Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood help you find the right method of birth control for you! We can help you get free or low-cost birth control, yearly exams and testing for STI's. Click here to read more about the Family Planning Benefit Program and find out how you can get free services today!

For more information, call 1-800-230-PLAN.

Planned Parenthood cares about your data privacy. We and our third-party vendors use cookies and other tools to collect, store, monitor, and analyze information about your interaction with our site to improve performance, analyze your use of our sites and assist in our marketing efforts. You may opt out of the use of these cookies and other tools at any time by visiting Cookie Settings. By clicking “Allow All Cookies” you consent to our collection and use of such data, and our Terms of Use. For more information, see our Privacy Notice.

Cookie Settings

Planned Parenthood cares about your data privacy. We and our third-party vendors, use cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies to collect, store, monitor, and process certain information about you when you access and use our services, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences, or your device. We use that information to make the site work, analyze performance and traffic on our website, to provide a more personalized web experience, and assist in our marketing efforts. We also share information with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners. You can change your default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of required cookies when utilizing our site; this includes necessary cookies that help our site to function (such as remembering your cookie preference settings). For more information, please see our Privacy Notice.

Marketing

On

We use online advertising to promote our mission and help constituents find our services. Marketing pixels help us measure the success of our campaigns.

Performance

On

We use qualitative data, including session replay, to learn about your user experience and improve our products and services.

Analytics

On

We use web analytics to help us understand user engagement with our website, trends, and overall reach of our products.