( CNN ) -- Last week , a federal judge issued a decision lifting the age and point-of-sale restrictions on emergency contraception , citing solid scientific and medical research showing that it is safe and effective in preventing unintended pregnancy . This is great news for all women because these restrictions created confusion and barriers , and when unprotected sex has occurred , time is a crucial factor . Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy for up to five days after intercourse , but the sooner it 's used the more effective it is . That 's why women 's health providers and activists lobbied to make emergency contraception available without a prescription â€ ” to reduce delays . And because emergency contraception is safe , making it over-the-counter was a big step in creating better access to birth control . Clearing up confusion about what emergency contraception is and how it works has been more challenging . It 's a fact that emergency contraception is birth control . The reality is , pregnancy does n't happen right after sex . It can take up to six days for the sperm and egg to meet after intercourse . That 's why it 's possible to prevent pregnancy even after the fact . Emergency contraception postpones ovulation , which prevents sperm from coming in contact with and fertilizing an egg . Pregnancy ca n't happen if there is no egg to join with sperm . In contrast , the so-called `` abortion pill , '' mifepristone , works by blocking the hormone progesterone , which is needed for a pregnancy to continue . So there 's a big difference between emergency contraception and nonsurgical abortion . There was much talk last week about the implications of lifting the age restrictions . Some of it was motivated by safety concerns , which is a good and natural question to ask about any medication . It 's a fact that doctors have been prescribing emergency birth control since the 1960s , and there have been no reports of serious complications . More to the point , studies have repeatedly shown that emergency contraception is safe for use by women of all ages , including teens . Another concern among some is that access to emergency contraception will increase the rates of unprotected sex , especially among teens . There is no evidence to support this . It 's a fact that rates of unprotected sex do not increase when there is more access to emergency contraception . Research also indicates that teens understand how to use emergency contraception and that it is not intended for ongoing , regular use . The bottom line is that the use of reliable birth control is the best way to prevent an unintended pregnancy , but the fact is that unprotected sex does occur and sometimes birth control methods do fail . A condom could break , a woman could forget to take a pill , or nonconsensual sex could occur . That 's why when a woman fears she might become pregnant after her contraceptive has failed or she has had unprotected sex , she needs fast access to emergency contraception , not delays at the pharmacy counter . Lifting these restrictions will allow emergency contraception to be stocked on store shelves , making it more accessible to everyone . It will provide a safe , effective way to prevent pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion . That 's why last week 's ruling is so important â€ ” it 's based on good science and good sense . And that 's a fact . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Deborah Nucatola .
Deborah Nucatola : Judge lifts age and sale restrictions on emergency contraception . It 's boon for young women , she says ; time a crucial factor in preventing unwanted pregnancy . Score: 6 studies show it 's safe for teens . Nucatola : It will provide a safe , effective way to prevent pregnancy , reduce need for abortion .