Emergency contraception (EC) pills are easily available for women in the United States. These pills sell under different brand names, such as Next Choice and Plan B One-Step. You can use these EC pills within five days of having unprotected sex, but they are most effective when taken within the first three days of engaging in a sexual act. You can enhance their effectiveness by taking them within the first 24 hours of unprotected sex. You can buy them offline or online at CVS pharmacy or other stores. One can now easily get access to morning after pill, CVS for example, said the pill would be displayed in the family-planning aisle, in special security packaging.

What Is Morning After Pill?

Morning after pill is a method used for emergency contraception. Also called postcoital contraception, this birth control method is used when you may have had unprotected sex or other birth control methods have failed. It's not a regular birth control method and usually used in emergencies, such as having a condom break during sex, being raped, or missing two birth control pills during a monthly cycle. You need to understand that the types and where you can buy morning after pill.CVS and Walgreens are probably the most convenient place for you to get those pills either online or offline. Note that morning after pill is different from RU-466 that you use to induce abortions.  Also, bear in mind that these pills do not offer any protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

How Many Types of Morning After Pills Are There?

It is important to have some information about different types of EC pills available in the market today. Here is more about it:

Progestin-only Pills

As implied by the name, these pills contain progestin, a hormone that helps reduce your risk of getting pregnant. These pills are quite effective and work in 90% of the cases. These pills only use progestin, so they don't cause so many side effects. Some of the most common brands offering these pills are My Way, Plan B One-Step, Take Action, and Next Choice One Dose. You have to take one of these pills within the first 120 hours of having unprotected sex.

Ulipristal Acetate Contained Pills

These are prescription only pills and contain ulipristal acetate. They are sold under the brand name of ella in the US and ellaOne in Europe. It works quite well even when taken within the first 5 days of having unprotected sex. These pills are much more effective as compared to levonorgestrel ECPs.

Progestin and Estrogen Combined

These pills have the combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin. These combined daily birth control pills are available under different brand names in the United States. Even though these pills reduce your chances of becoming pregnant by 75%, they may cause certain side effects, such as vomiting and nausea.

Often Used Morning After Pills

If you're interested in using a morning after pill, it is a good idea to learn a bit about the most commonly used pills in the US. Here's what you can try:

Progestin-Only Plan B One-Step

Anyone can buy progestin-only EC without having to show ID. Plan B One-Step is approved for unrestricted sale in the US. To get Plan B One-Step morning after pill, CVS pharmacy store may be an appropriate choice to look around.

• How Does It Work? Progestin makes your body think you're already pregnant. This puts your body in a mode to prevent pregnancy. Birth control pills that consist of progestin work use the same science. In case of Plan B One-Step, you have to take one pill as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. It is effective even when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The pill can reduce the chance of pregnancy by as much as 90%.
• How Effective Is It? As mentioned already, how early you take the pill will determine its effectiveness. Studies show that 7 out of 8 women who take this pill after unprotected sex don't get pregnant. It is important to keep in mind that the pill will become less effective if your body weight is higher than 165 pounds.
• How Much Does It Cost? You will have to spend up to $49.99 to get it here.

Ella

Approved in August 2010 by the FDA, it is a prescription only pill. Originally created by Paris-based HRA Pharma, the pill was available for sale in Europe in 2009. In Europe, it is available under the brand name of ellaOne.  

• How Does It Work? The pill contains a non-hormonal drug called ulipristal that blocks the production of certain hormones important for conception. It suppresses progesterone and delays ovulation by five days, which is long enough for sperm to die before it could fertilize the egg. It also works by thinning the lining of your uterus, which makes the implantation of a fertilized egg difficult.
• How Effective Is It? You can take it up to 120 hours after unprotected sex. You will find one tablet in one dose, but it is enough to reduce the pregnancy rate to 2.2% or even less. In many cases, it still remains effective when taken a little after 120 hours of sex.
• How Much Does It Cost? You may notice a degree of variation in what you pay to get ella. You should be able to get it for $55 at local pharmacies. You can buy it online as well, but you may have to pay up to $22 more for overnight shipping. Since you have to take it as soon as possible, you should not mind paying those additional shipping charges.

Are There Any Side Effects of Morning After Pills?

Emergency contraceptive pills don't have long-term or serious side effects. They are mostly safe for use, but you may sometimes experience certain side effects, such as fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, and menstrual changes. However, you can ask your doctor to give you something to reduce nausea – they can give you anti-nausea medicine that you have to take before you take a morning after pill.

You need to bear in mind that you may notice some change in your period after taking these emergency pills. Your period may come early or later than usual. It can be the same as usual or it may become a bit lighter, heavier, or spottier.

You should go see your doctor if you don’t have your next period within three weeks of taking your morning after pill. It is also a good idea to take a pregnancy test if you experience some symptoms of it.