Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after a victim has been sexually assaulted, but before she is pregnant.  It is a series of hormone pills that work in three ways:

• Delay in release of an egg from the ovary
• Prevent fertilization of an egg
• Preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the wall of the uterus

Emergency contraception is prevention of a pregnancy, not a termination.  If the victim was already pregnant when she was sexually assaulted, emergency contraception will not affect the pregnancy.

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Emergency Contraception Information.

To ensure compassionate care for sexual assault victims and in accordance with the Health Care Facilities Act, the Department has developed minimum requirements for the physical and psychological treatment of sexual assault victims by Pennsylvania hospitals.  The regulations provide minimum requirements to be observed by all hospitals for “sexual assault emergency services,” which include services related to assessment and prophylactic treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, counseling regarding the assault either on site or at a rape crisis center, and information and services related to emergency contraception. 

The regulations include an exemption from requirements relating to the provision of emergency contraception services for hospitals that believe provision of that particular service would be contrary to the stated religious and moral beliefs of the hospital. The regulations also provide that hospitals currently offering the most limited range of services and electing to refer all emergency patients after institution of essential life-saving measures may also elect not to provide any sexual assault emergency services. These hospitals are required to comply with certain notice and transport provisions.