PIP: Extensive scientific evidence demonstrates that some forms of contraception employed soon after an episode of unprotected sexual intercourse reduces the risk of pregnancy by at least 75%. Emergency contraception, however, is not well known among some physicians and the public mainly because none of the manufacturers of birth control products which may be used postcoitally has applied to the US Food and Drug Administration to label and market their products for emergency use. On February 14, a new nationwide, toll-free emergency contraception hotline was established to offer information about how to avoid an unintended pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. The 24-hour confidential hotline, 800-584-9911, is available in English and Spanish. Callers to the hotline are provided with explanations of elevated doses of oral contraceptives, the minipill, and the copper-T IUD as possible emergency options, as well as the names, locations, and phone numbers of three providers in the caller's area who are willing to prescribe emergency contraceptives. The line is sponsored by the Reproductive Health Technologies Project and Bridging the Gap Communications and supplements the existing World Wide Web site on emergency contraception found at http://opr.princeton.edu/ec/ec.html. There are no long-term or serious side effects from the use of emergency contraception, although about half of all women who use elevated doses of oral contraceptives report experiencing temporary nausea and vomiting. Emergency IUD insertion carries an increased risk of pelvic infection.