BACKGROUND: Unwanted pregnancies are a major public health problem for both developing and developed nations, which generally results from ineffective use of contraceptives and end up in induced abortions. Emergency contraception sometimes called "morning after", "postcoital" or "second chance pills" can be used to prevent pregnancy after an unprotected sex. Attention has been focused on the potential for emergency contraception to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and thus abortion rate. OBJECTIVES: 1. To compare the awareness about emergency contraceptive pills and conventional contraceptive methods among mothers attending MCH clinic, Bapuji Hospital, Davangere. 2. To study the socio-demographic profile of the above group. METHODS: A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to know the awareness about emergency contraceptive pills versus conventional contraceptive methods among mothers attending MCH clinic, Bapuji hospital, Davangere from 1st October 2011 to 31st December 2011. Data was entered into Excel sheet and was analysed using SPSS software version 17. Data was described as proportions, categorical data using chi square test. RESULTS: A total of 500 mothers were included in the study for duration of 3months. Approximately 80% of the respondents were in the age group of 21-30yrs, 72.8% from urban background, 83.4% were Hindus, 55% were from joint family. Approximately 49% belonged to socioeconomic class II and III, 97.2% were literate and 86.6% were housewives. 31.8% had knowledge about emergency contraception which is very less when compared to 84.2% of conventional methods. 6.2% have practiced emergency contraception which is very poor when compared to 47.5% of conventional methods. 77.8% were aware of female sterilization. The most common known temporary method of contraception was Cu-T (71%) followed by OCP (60.6%). Most common method used by couples was condom (21.8%) followed by Cu-T (19.7%). 59% practiced contraception between birth of 1st and 2nd child. 20.4% had undergone medical abortion previously and only 29.4% were aware that pregnancy can be terminated by medical means. 49.7% have correctly identified the recommended 72hrs as a time limit for the use of emergency contraception. None of them had the knowledge of the existence of IUCD and OCP as emergency contraception. The source of information about emergency contraception is maximum by television (76.72%) followed by paramedics/doctors (13.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals good knowledge about family planning and the respondents are aware of at least one method of contraception but practice of using contraception is poor.