The Condom Broke - What Should I Do Now?

Two things are time-sensitive, so act on them first. If there's any chance of HIV exposure, PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) can prevent infection but only if started within 72 hours, the sooner the better. If pregnancy is possible, emergency contraception works up to 5 days after, and sooner is more effective. After those, plan to test for STIs at the right time and take a pregnancy test a few weeks later. This tool sorts these for you by how long ago it happened.

Up to 5 days, but effectiveness drops the longer you wait. Levonorgestrel pills (Plan B and generics) are available over the counter with no age limit and work best within 3 days. Ella (ulipristal, prescription) works up to 5 days and is equally effective across that window. The copper IUD, placed by a provider within 5 days, is the most effective option of all, over 99%, and, unlike the pills, its effectiveness isn't reduced at higher body weight.

It can be less reliable. Levonorgestrel (Plan B) is less effective at a BMI over 25 and may not work at a BMI of 30 or more; ella can be less effective at higher body weight too (around 195 lb / a BMI of 35). The copper IUD is not affected by weight, so it's the preferred emergency option if you weigh more and strongly want to avoid pregnancy. A provider or pharmacist can help you choose.

Not right away, tests need time to become reliable. Different infections have different window periods: HIV and syphilis around a few weeks, chlamydia and gonorrhea about 1–2 weeks. Use our test-window calculator to time it, and remember that most STIs cause no symptoms, so test whether or not you feel anything.

Correct, they're completely different. Emergency contraception (Plan B, ella) prevents pregnancy from starting and does nothing if you're already pregnant; it's not the same as the abortion pill (mifepristone/misoprostol), which ends an established pregnancy. EC is safe, and the levonorgestrel type is sold right on the pharmacy shelf.

Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser: your answers are never sent to a server, saved, or shared. It's educational and can't prescribe anything; if a clock is running, see a provider or pharmacist right away.

Most breaks trace to something avoidable rather than a defective condom: putting it on after genital contact already started, using an oil-based product like lotion, baby oil, or petroleum jelly (oil degrades latex: use a water- or silicone-based lube instead), reusing a condom, or not pinching the air out of the tip before unrolling, since trapped air is a common cause of breakage. If breaks keep happening, fit is usually the culprit: one that's too tight or too loose fails more easily, so it's worth finding a size that sits comfortably.