Birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills, and abortion pills: What’s the difference?

Birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills, and abortion pills are three different types of medications that are used in reproductive health care. One main difference between them is that birth control pills and emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy, while abortion pills end a pregnancy. Learn more about how these medications are different from one another in the chart below, made in collaboration with our coalition member, Reproductive Health Access Project.

There are two types of birth control pills—combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and progestin-only pills (POPs)—that can be taken daily to prevent pregnancy. Learn more about their similarities and differences in our fact sheet →