<br />Widespread use of EBC could prevent 1.7 million unintended pregnancies and 800,000 abortions each year in the United States alone. <br /> <br />EBC does not cause an abortion. <br /> <br />EBC is not the same as the French abortion pill RU-486. <br /> <br />EBC pills contain exactly the same drugs and work in exactly the same way as regular birth control pills. <br /> <br />EBC cannot terminate a pregnancy that has already begun. <br /> <br />A woman doesn't become pregnant until 5-7 days after having sex. EBC works after a woman has sex but before she becomes pregnant. <br /> <br />EBC pills can be taken up to 3 days after having unprotected sex, not just on the morning after. <br /> <br />EBC pills are up to 89% percent effective if taken within 3 days after having unprotected sex, and up to 95 % effective if taken within 24 hours. On average, for every 100 women who use EBC only 1 will become pregnant. <br /> <br />Medical science defines the beginning of pregnancy as the successful implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. Medication that works before pregnancy begins is by definition not abortive. <br /> <br />EBC prevents pregnancy by interfering with the biological process at four different stages: ovulation, tubal transport, fertilization, and implantation. EBC does not always prevent sperm from fertilizing the egg, or conception. The same is true for regular birth control pills. <br /> <br />If a woman takes EBC and still becomes pregnant, her baby will not be harmed. <br /> <br />EBC should only be used in emergencies, such as when a condom breaks, when you accidentally have unprotected sex, or if you have been raped. It should not be used as a regular form of birth control. <br /> <br />EBC pills are safe for most women to use and have no long-term negative effects. <br />
