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Welcome to family planning health services (fphs) Emergency Contraception (EC) online service. Emergency Contraception is for women only.
Each year, millions of women have unprotected intercourse and are left, in the days that follow, with the fear of pregnancy and the feeling that nothing can be done. Emergency contraception gives these women an option to avoid pregnancy.
Emergency Contraceptive Pills (EPCs) work primarily by preventing or delaying the release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation). They do not work if a woman is already pregnant. Source: Family Planning A Global Handbook for Providers, 2007 edition.
You can obtain ECPs before you need them. Since ECPs are more effective the earlier after unprotected intercourse they are taken, obtaining emergency contraceptive pills from a clinician before they are needed is a terrific idea. Then if the need arises, ECPs can be used without delay.
Does use of Emergency Contraception cause an abortion? No, use of ECPs do not cause an abortion. In fact, emergency contraception prevents pregnancy and thereby reduces the need for induced abortion. Medical authorities such as the United States Food and Drug Administration/National Institutes of Health and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists define the beginning of pregnancy as the implantation of a fertilized egg in the lining of a woman's uterus. Implantation begins five to seven days after fertilization (and is completed several days later). ECPs work before fertilization and not after a woman is already pregnant. When a woman is already pregnant, emergency contraception does not work. ECPs do not cause birth defects if pregnancy occurs. All women can use ECPs safely and effectively, including women who cannot use ongoing hormonal contraceptive methods. Because of the short-term nature of their use, there are no medical conditions that make ECPs unsafe for any woman. Source: Family Planning A Global Handbook for Providers, 2007 edition.
Please note that this service is only available for residents of Wisconsin. If you are in need of EC right now, please call. The toll-free phone number for Wisconsin residents is 866-ECFIRST. To find one of the fphs clinic locations near you, please see our contact page.
Please remember this is not a 24-hour service. If you submit an EC Assessment Form outside of fphs' normal clinic hours, you will not receive a confirmation until the following morning. If you submit an assessment after normal clinic hours on Friday, you will not receive a confirmation until Monday morning. For the quickest access to EC services after usual business hours, please call the Wisconsin EC Hotline at 866-EC-FIRST (1-866-323-4778), for EC instructions and/or to leave a message. A staff person will call you back to arrange for services. You can also find additional information online at www.ezec.org.
The cost for this service can usually be covered by the Wisconsin Family Planning Waiver program if the caller is eligible. If the caller is not eligible, arrangements can be made to bill a credit card or arrange for pick up at a local pharmacy. ECPs are now available over-the-counter at pharmacies for women over age 18. Women younger than age 18 need a prescription. Arrangements can be made to obtain that prescription. ECPs may not be available at some pharmacies; fphs staff can help callers find pharmacies where the medication is available. ECPs are typically less expensive through fphs clinics. If you choose to have the medication mailed overnight, there is also a $15.00 delivery charge. ECPs are available as a walk-in service at any of fphs' 7 clinic locations.
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