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Emergency contraceptive pills, taken as soon as possible within 72 hours of sexual intercourse, prevent pregnancy by delaying or preventing ovulation (the release of an egg). The most common emergency contraception regimen uses progestin and estrogen (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol), which are the same hormones used in birth control pills.

Emergency contraception works the same way birth control pills do to prevent pregnancy.

However, emergency contraception should be used responsibly. It is not a replacement for the use of regular contraception. It is an important "back-up" method.

Emergency contraception is not an "abortion pill" and will not harm an existing pregnancy.

Like all birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills do not protect the user against infection from the HIV virus, which causes AIDS, or other sexually transmitted diseases.

Yes. The FDA found combined oral contraceptives to be safe and effective for use as emergency contraception, based primarily on a meta-analysis of 10 studies with special doses of birth control pills that showed a favorable safety profile.

The most common side effects are nausea and/or vomiting.

• 2.7 million unintended pregnancies in 1995 (last year for which data is available)

• 47% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, 40% in birth and 13% in miscarriage

• 53% of women with unintended pregnancies were using contraception

• Among those women using contraception, 51% of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion; and 43% of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion among women who were not using contraception

• 48% of women 15-44 years old have had an unintended pregnancy