Advice

I need to buy birth control pills, but what are they called?

Thembekile
Question

I don't know any name of the birth control pills. Can you please tell me what they are called, because I am willing to buy them at the pharmacy. Help me cause I really don't know what to call them when I arrived there.

In most areas of the world, if you're looking for daily birth control⁠ pills to take to prevent pregnancy⁠ , they have many brands, types and names, but they also are not usually avilable for purchase over the counter without a prescription. To be put on the birth control pill, you'll need to see your local clinic or healthcare provider⁠ , who can determine which type is right for you, then will give you a prescription to have your pharmacist fill.

Might you instead be looking for the morning-after pill or Plan B⁠ , which is a single-use (in two doses) pill designed to be used as emergency contraception⁠ ? In other words, the pill⁠ for use after sex⁠ has already occurred but a method of birth control was not used or failed?

If so, you'd just ask for emergency contraception, Plan B or the morning-after pill. Depending on where you're located, and how old you are, you may be able to get it over-the-counter without a prescription, or you may not (and may need a prescription for that, too), so your best bet would be to call the pharmacist before going back so you don't waste another trip.

Just be sure that if it is emergency contraception that you need that you move as quickly as possible: EC is only effective within 120 hours of your risk -- because it cannot work once a pregnancy has actually occurred -- and it is most effective the sooner in that window it is taken.

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  • Heather Corinna

It's amazing that with something as safe, simple, affordable and revolutionary as emergency contraception that it STILL isn't being used by millions of people who could use it, and who would prefer to avoid an abortion or an unwanted pregnancy. In part, that's because so many doctors and clinics still do not inform and educate people about EC. Here's some EC clarity, on the house. Pass it on!