BACK UP YOUR BIRTH CONTROL

HONOLULU - Emergency contraception (EC) gives women a second chance to prevent pregnancy. It consists of a special dose of hormones, taken within a few days of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, to help prevent pregnancy.

Studies show that as many as half of the nearly three million unintended pregnancies, that occur each year in the U.S., occur to women who are using a regular method of contraception. These pregnancies could be prevented if women were aware and understood the use of emergency contraception. In Hawaii, it is estimated that 56% of all pregnancies are unintended.

Although the average woman spends two to four years being pregnant, she spends 20 or more years of her life trying to avoid pregnancy. No birth control method is 100% effective and there are times when accidents happen - a diaphragm slips, a woman forgets a pill, the condom breaks, or she had sex when she didn’t plan to - or want to.

Since, emergency contraception needs to be taken within a few days after unprotected sex – the sooner, the better. Women should ask their healthcare provider for an advance prescription for EC, to keep in their medicine cabinet.

The Department of Health has been working with Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, HMSA, Cox Radio, Queen Emma Clinics, ACLU, Planned Parenthood and others on a public education campaign about the availability and advantages of EC.

For more information about the Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign, go to the website at www.backupyourbirthcontrol.org. For a list of healthcare providers in Hawaii who provide EC, check the directory at www.not-2-late.com. Or call your healthcare provider for your advance prescription of EC.