--- title: Cecile Richards: Plan B Emergency Contraception Is Misunderstood description: Emergency contraception — which is just one more form of birth control — is in the headlines this week, with the Obama Administration’s decision to... canonical: https://time.com/archive/7132090/viewpoint-plan-b-is-very-misunderstood/ author: Cecile Richards article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2013-05-03T09:45:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-16T09:17:24.560Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Cecile Richards: Plan B Is Very Misunderstood og:description: Emergency contraception is not "the abortion pill." Like other forms of birth control, it prevents fertilization in the first place og:url: https://time.com/archive/7132090/viewpoint-plan-b-is-very-misunderstood/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7f02cd4f5e2d7ee1/698a9160e6e84a27652b8dd9/165732620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: NY Federal Judge Overrules FDA Over-The-Counter Ban On Emergency Contraception Pill og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Cecile Richards: Plan B Is Very Misunderstood twitter:description: Emergency contraception is not "the abortion pill." Like other forms of birth control, it prevents fertilization in the first place twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7f02cd4f5e2d7ee1/698a9160e6e84a27652b8dd9/165732620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) # Viewpoint: Plan B Is Very Misunderstood > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=a16562b4-ecce-426b-aa87-7ed5db2fc977&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=a16562b4-ecce-426b-aa87-7ed5db2fc977&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=a16562b4-ecce-426b-aa87-7ed5db2fc977&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=a16562b4-ecce-426b-aa87-7ed5db2fc977&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) by [Cecile Richards](https://time.com/author/cecile-richards/) May 3, 2013 9:45 AM UTC  CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 05: This photo illustration shows a package of Plan B contraceptive on April 5, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. A federal judge in New York City has ordered the Food and Drug Administration to make Plan B contraceptive, also known as the morning after pill, available to younger teens without a prescription within 30 days. The judge's ruling overturns a December 2011 decision by the FDA to restrict access to the contraceptive to any girl under 17 years of age. (Photo illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images) CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 05: This photo illustration shows a package of Plan B contraceptive on April 5, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. A federal judge in New York City has ordered the Food and Drug Administration to make Plan B contraceptive, also known as the morning after pill, available to younger teens without a prescription within 30 days. The judge's ruling overturns a December 2011 decision by the FDA to restrict access to the contraceptive to any girl under 17 years of age. (Photo illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Getty Images—2013 Getty Images by [Cecile Richards](https://time.com/author/cecile-richards/) May 3, 2013 9:45 AM UTC Emergency [contraception](http://topics.time.com/contraception/) — which is just one more form of [birth control](http://topics.time.com/birth-control/) — is in the headlines this week, with the Obama Administration’s decision to expand access by making it available over the counter, while at the same time still requiring that you must be 15 or older to buy it. This is an important moment for women’s health, and it’s a good time to step back and get clarity about what emergency contraception actually is and why it matters so much. (**MORE**: [Critics and Supporters React to Decision to Expand OTC Access to Plan B](http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/01/morning-after-reactions/)) Emergency contraception is not “the [abortion](http://topics.time.com/abortion/) pill.” Like other forms of birth control, it prevents pregnancy from happening in the first place. Specifically, emergency contraception [postpones ovulation](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20399948), so that sperm does not come into contact with an egg. Pregnancy does not occur immediately after sex. It can take up to six days for an egg and a sperm to meet after having sex — a critical window of time during which pregnancy can still be prevented. One in 10 women of reproductive age [has used](http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/j.fertnstert.2011.03.011.pdf) emergency contraception. Women use it in a variety of circumstances, including if their partner’s condom breaks, if they missed or forgot to take their regular birth control, or if they are sexually assaulted. (**MORE:** [New Availability of Plan B Makes Philadelphia Abortion Doc an Anachronism](http://ideas.time.com/2013/05/01/viewpoint-philadelphia-abortion-doc-kermit-gosnell-is-an-anachronism/)) When a woman needs emergency contraception, time is critical. Until now, emergency contraception has been kept behind pharmacy counters because of age restrictions, which creates barriers for women of all ages because pharmacy counters usually aren’t open as long as the rest of the drugstore, lines are longer, and interactions with staff can be more complicated. Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it approved plans to move emergency contraception out from behind the pharmacy counter and make it available to people ages 15 and older, with valid identification. This is an important step forward, and it will help more women of all ages prevent unintended pregnancy. But we need to do more. The Obama Administration also announced this week that it is appealing a [court decision](http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/05/judge-orders-morning-after-pill-be-available-without-prescription-without-restrictions/) that eliminated the age restriction entirely. We strongly disagree, and believe that the court ruling should stand. That ruling would expand access even further, and it is based on strong scientific evidence showing that age restrictions are unnecessary. Research clearly shows that emergency contraception is safe and effective at all ages, and that access to emergency contraception doesn’t increase sexual activity or high-risk behavior in young women. (**MORE**: [Want to Prevent Teen Preganancy? Pay Teens Not to Get Pregnant)](http://ideas.time.com/2013/03/12/want-to-prevent-teen-pregnancy-pay-teens-not-to-get-pregnant/) May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, a reminder that we all have to do more to help prevent unintended pregnancy. An estimated 750,000 pregnancies will occur among 15- to 19-year-olds each year. While teen births have been declining since 1990, they remain higher in the U.S. than in other developed countries. Sex education and access to birth control are effective in preventing teen pregnancy. We know what works, and now we have to make sure all women and teens have access to it. This week, we saw important progress — and we also saw how much further we have to go. **MORE:** [The Argument You Don’t Hear About Birth Control in Schools](http://ideas.time.com/2012/09/26/the-argument-you-dont-hear-about-birth-control-in-schools/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7132090/viewpoint-plan-b-is-very-misunderstood/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7132090/viewpoint-plan-b-is-very-misunderstood/"},"headline":"Viewpoint: Plan B Is Very Misunderstood","datePublished":"2013-05-03T09:45:40.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-16T09:17:24.560Z","description":"Emergency contraception — which is just one more form of birth control — is in the headlines this week, with the Obama Administration’s decision to...","url":"https://time.com/archive/7132090/viewpoint-plan-b-is-very-misunderstood/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7f02cd4f5e2d7ee1/698a9160e6e84a27652b8dd9/165732620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cecile Richards","url":"https://time.com/author/cecile-richards/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7f02cd4f5e2d7ee1/698a9160e6e84a27652b8dd9/165732620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"NY Federal Judge Overrules FDA Over-The-Counter Ban On Emergency Contraception Pill","caption":"NY Federal Judge Overrules FDA Over-The-Counter Ban On Emergency Contraception Pill","creditText":"Getty Images—2013 Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/archive/7132090/viewpoint-plan-b-is-very-misunderstood/","name":"Viewpoint: Plan B Is Very Misunderstood"}}]}] ```