Information needs on emergency contraception not being met

During the 1980s, there was 2 prominent changes in family planning: more women went to general practitioners (GPs) for contraceptive advice and there was an upturn in the use of condoms due to safer sex campaigns in the mid-80s. In this study of 769 women requesting a pregnancy termination, the author's found that the greater use of condoms had appeared to increase the need for information about emergency contraception, but this was not being met. Patients advised by their GPs seemed to have a lower level of knowledge than those who obtained their contraception from clinics. The study, carried out at St. James's University Hospital in 1991-92, is compared with several studies in the 1970s and 80s which look at contraceptive usage by women with unwanted pregnancies. Differences were found between those receiving contraceptive advice from different sources (i.e. GPs, clinics, no medical source). Failure of the pill was more frequent in the GP-advised group, but failure of the diaphragm was more frequent in the clinic-advised group. Failure of non-use of condoms did not differ according to the source of advice. Knowledge of and use of emergency contraception was low. Only 14.5% of those using no contraception or recognizing a condom failure attempted to use a secondary or emergency method. Condoms should be used as well as rather than instead of other methods of contraception, and knowledge and availability of emergency contraception should be increased and promoted, recommend the authors. They concluded that problems arising from family planning provision by untrained and uncommitted doctors should be addressed urgently. (Bromham and Cartmill, British Journal of Family Planning, vol. 19, 1993, pp179-183). Commenting on the study findings, FPA Medical Information Office Jane Urwin said: "This study has furthered our knowledge in this area. It also highlights the need for further study of risk-taking behavior in relation to contraceptive use's.