Is Plan B the only form of emergency contraception?
No. A copper-T intrauterine device (IUD) can be used up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy and is more effective than Plan B. It is only inserted by a physician, so it may be more difficult to obtain one in time for use as an emergency contraceptive. Once inserted, an IUD can then be used for long term, reversible contraception. IUDs are controversial in the United States because an early version called the Dalkon Shield, introduced in the United States, was defective and some caused serious health problems for hundreds of thousands of women who used them. Newer versions introduced in the 1970s are used more widely than oral conceptives worldwide and lack the health risks present in earlier IUDs.
