General Preparedness for Individuals
Disasters can create social disruptions that increase your risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. Keep this in mind as you make plans and prepare emergency supplies.
We recommend that your purse and emergency kit include:
- At least three months of your regular birth control supplies
- Condoms to protect you from sexually transmitted infections
- Emergency contraception pills (sometimes called Plan B or morning after pill)
If you're using long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) you don't have to worry about unintended pregnancy during emergencies. However, if your device is due to be replaced in the timeframe of the emergency, be prepared to use a back-up method like condoms. Remember, LARCs don't protect you from sexually transmitted infections. LARCs include IUDs and implants.
More information on preparing for natural disasters and other emergencies is on the DOH emergency preparedness Be Prepared, Be Safe webpage.
General Preparedness for Health Care Providers and Clinics
Washington State routinely experiences wildfires and floods and is also at risk for tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. Clinic emergency preparedness plans address these natural disasters along with social unrest and other possible disasters and emergencies.
- Contraceptive Availability During an Emergency Response in the United States. This article, available through the NIH US National Library of Medicine, discusses the need for contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancy during emergencies and disasters, the most appropriate type of contraceptives for these scenarios, and the current provisions in place to provide contraceptives during an emergency response.
- CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for Health Care Providers. This article is specifically about fall 2017 hurricanes in Texas and on the East Coast, but it gives an overview of the types of support available from the CDC.
More information for health care providers and clinics is available on our Resources for Clinicians webpage. This page also includes information on current and emerging health issues.