Emergency contraception is not the "abortion pill". The two therapies are different and it is important not to confuse them.

"Emergency contraception" refers to contraceptive methods that work after unprotected sex but before pregnancy. It is often referred to as the "morning after pill". Emergency contraception pills can be taken up to 120 hours after unprotected intercourse, well before a pregnancy can be established. There are three main types of EC pills: Progestin only pills containing levonorgestrel, combined pills containing both progestin and an estrogen (“Yuzpe” regimen, made from ordinary birth control pills), and pills containing ulipristal acetate. In two countries, small doses (10 to 25 mg) of the drug mifepristone are used as EC. Emergency contraceptives are true contraceptives in that they prevent pregnancy by delaying or inhibiting ovulation. They will not cause an abortion if a woman is already pregnant at the time she takes the pills.

The "abortion pill,” also known as “medical abortion” or “RU-486, is approved for use in a number of countries to terminate a confirmed pregnancy in combination with another drug. For a medical abortion, a large dose (200 to 600 mg) of mifepristone is used after a woman misses her period, up to seven to nine weeks into a confirmed pregnancy; typically followed by another drug called a prostaglandin (misoprostol) that causes uterine contractions. Used this way, the drugs cause an abortion.

Emergency contraception and early medical abortion are both important options for women. In order for women to understand their choices and make informed decisions, they need accurate information about these therapies, and the differences between them.