Expanding access to emergency contraception: the case of Brazil and Colombia

Emergency contraception was proven effective nearly 30 years ago yet remains greatly under-utilised. In the Latin American and Caribbean region, it would serve the goals of reducing unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and related morbidity, and as a back-up to condom use and a bridge to longer-term contraceptive methods if made more widely known and available. The International Planned Parenthood Federation Western Hemisphere Region has developed a model for the integration of emergency contraception into sexual and reproductive health care services. This model is being tested in a two-year project with national affiliates in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, and will contribute to the work of the Latin American Consortium for Emergency Contraception. Case studies of Brazil and Colombia describe how health sector reforms, e.g. decentralisation and managed competition among health insurers and service providers, have influenced promotion strategies. The experience of Profamilia Colombia with registration of a dedicated product and providing emergency contraception within its national network of clinics, with a focus on staff training and work with young people, is described. In Brazil, BEMFAM's study of different modalities for offering emergency contraception, e.g. through contractual agreements with municipalities and its own clinics, is highlighted.