Condom Broke For those who are sexually active (and not planning on having a child anytime soon) there are few worse realizations than discovering the condom broke. Your mind is likely running to a million scary places and they all lead to the worrying thought “what if I’m pregnant?” Fortunately, over the counter emergency contraception is becoming more easily accessible. The OTC morning after pill EContra EZ prevents pregnancy before it happens. There are many reasons that your regular birth control could fail. Maybe you forgot to take a birth control pill or the condom broke. Whatever your reason for needing the morning after pill over the counter, the important part is that you do have access to do something about it. Many people are unsure how the day after pill actually works. Basically, a heavier dose of hormones is ingested through a pill and as a result, ovulation (the release of an egg) is delayed. Without the presence of an egg, there is no chance for a sperm to fertilize it. OTC Morning After Pill In order to have the maximum protection against pregnancy, EContra EZ should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. It’s approved over the counter for women 17 and older and must be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex. If the condom broke, sperm can live days in the female reproductive tract – that’s why over the counter morning after pills work for so long. So if the day after pill is over the counter, wondering where to get it? You can actually order it online, pay nothing for shipping and have it sent discretely to your home, office or FedEx shipping center. The other thing about the OTC morning after pill is that it is something you can keep on hand. Condom broke last night? You can now have the comfort of knowing that you have the day after pill in your medicine cabinet. Day After Pill It’s important to realize that EContra EZ isn’t meant to be used as a routine form of birth control but rather as a backup method to prevent against pregnancy. After women take the morning after pill, some may experience a few side effects that are typically no more than an annoyance and are short lasting. These include the most common side effects: changes in your period, nausea, lower stomach pain and breast tenderness. The OTC morning after pill, however, is safe and effective for the majority of women taking it. If any symptoms become uncomfortable or don’t disappear in a few days, it’s advisable to speak to a doctor or pharmacist. Additionally, using the day after pill repeatedly is not advised. It’s intended for situations where the condom broke, protection wasn’t used or you forgot to take your birth control pill. Just like regular birth control, it does not prevent against STDs.