TED-Ed

How does the morning-after pill prevent pregnancy? - Alison Edelman

2026 • E18    Mar 5, 2026    5m
In a 2021 study, researchers asked over 500 participants to explain how the morning-after pill worked. Despite these pills’ widespread use, 60% answered incorrectly. Emergency contraceptives are often misunderstood— even the phrase “the morning-after pill” is a misnomer. So, how do they work? Alison Edelman explores how two main types of emergency contraception disrupt or delay ovulation.

Lesson by Alison Edelman, directed by Magali García.

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