Emergency contraception works by helping prevent ovulation, which is when the egg is released from the ovary.  So the sooner you take it after having unprotected sex the better! The longer you wait, the greater chance that you could ovulate – and once you ovulate, emergency contraception doesn’t work.

Plan B (levonorgestrel) has a shelf life of 4 years when stored according to directions. Check the label on your pill bottle or box. This means that you can order it now when you might not need it, and keep it on hand to make a future emergency a little less stressful!

The cost of emergency contraception with Hey Jane will vary depending on what medication you receive (Plan B or Ella) and how you pay. There are two ways to pay for care: with insurance or self-pay.

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Insurance: We accept select insurance plans for Ella consultations. You may also be able to pay for your consultation with your HSA or FSA if you’d like. Your payment covers your provider’s time and unlimited messages for the length of your prescription.

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Self-pay: We offer self-pay patients sliding scale pricing based on income for all of our emergency contraception services. You can pay with credit or debit card, Cash App, or FSA/HSA funds.

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For Ella, we can send your prescription to your local pharmacy of choice for pickup regardless of payment method. You will pay the pharmacy directly for the cost of your prescription product. In many cases, emergency contraception products can be as low as $0 with insurance. If you are paying cash or using an FSA/HSA, we can mail it directly to you.

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If you don’t have insurance or are worried about costs, let your provider know so they can advise on affordable options.

It is totally different! Emergency contraception (often called “Plan B”) can prevent a pregnancy from happening, while abortion pills (often called “Plan C”) terminate an existing pregnancy. Emergency contraception cannot cause an abortion if the egg has already been fertilized. Learn more about emergency contraception myths here.

The abortion pills (mifepristone and misoprostol) are very effective to end a pregnancy, but they cannot be used to prevent a future pregnancy.

If you have unprotected sex or the condom breaks, you can use emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill or Plan B. This medication can help stop you from getting pregnant if taken within 3 to 5 days of unprotected sex depending on which type your take. You can get emergency contraception over-the-counter from the drugstore or a healthcare facility, or with a prescription if getting ella. Learn more about how to prevent pregnancy after sex.

It is important to know that you can become pregnant again almost immediately after using the abortion pills. For this reason, it is recommended to use condoms or another form of birth control if you don’t want to get pregnant.

• You can get condoms, female condoms, sponges, and spermicide at your drugstore. Condoms are the only method that protect against sexually transmitted infections.
• There are many different birth control options available - including pills, the patch, the vaginal ring, and many more. The implant and the IUD are great options, too. Here's a good resource to explore your birth control options.
• If you're interested in starting birth control, discuss this with your Hey Jane provider - they will happily answer any questions and send a prescription for you.
• You can also go to this link to connect with a provider near you.
• You can start birth control on the date you and your provider decide, even if you're bleeding.

We facilitate three different shipping speeds. Since it’s important to take emergency contraception as soon as possible after having unprotected sex, you can purchase medication in advance to be prepared in the event you need it asap.

Shipping options:‍

• Standard shipping is included in the cost of service (7-10 days)
• $12 priority shipping (3-5 days)
• $35 expedited shipping (1-2 days)

If requesting Ella, you also have to option for in-person pickup at your local pharmacy as long as they have it in stock.

The cost of your birth control consultation with Hey Jane will vary depending on how you pay. There are two ways to pay for care: with insurance or self-pay.

We accept select insurance plans for birth control consultations and offer cash-pay patients income-based sliding scale pricing. You may also be able to pay for your consultation with your HSA or FSA if you’d like. Your payment covers your provider’s time and unlimited messages for the length of your prescription. We will send your prescription to your local pharmacy of choice for pickup. We facilitate delivery for select birth control methods.

In most cases, you will pay the pharmacy directly for the cost of your birth control method. Costs can vary depending on what birth control method you choose, brand names vs. generic options, and whether or not you use insurance to pay. In many cases, birth control products can be as low as $0 with insurance. If you don’t have insurance or are worried about costs, your provider can advise on more affordable options.

Some people have nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, stomach cramps, or breast pain for a short time after taking the pill. Your next period might come later than normal and the flow can be different—this is all normal. It takes about 2 weeks for the pregnancy hormone to show up on a home pregnancy test, so you can try to take one as early as 2 weeks after having unprotected sex and redo it around 4 weeks if you’re still unsure. Even if you took emergency contraception one time, you can get pregnant if you have unprotected sex again afterwards.