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Emergency contraception.

David G Weismiller¹

¹Department of Family Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858-4354, USA. weismillerd@mail.ecu.edu

American Family Physician

|September 2, 2004

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Emergency contraception prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex and is 75-85% effective within 72 hours. Advance prescriptions can increase use and reduce unintended pregnancies.

Area of Science:

Reproductive Health
Pharmacology

Background:

Emergency contraception (EC) is available to prevent pregnancy following contraceptive failure or unprotected intercourse.
Awareness of EC availability is a barrier to its use, despite its long history as an off-label use of oral contraceptives.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the efficacy, safety, and provision methods of emergency contraception.
To highlight the benefits of advance prescription for emergency contraception.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on emergency contraception methods, including oral contraceptives (Yuzpe regimen, levonorgestrel) and intrauterine devices.
Analysis of effectiveness rates and safety profiles.
Assessment of the impact of advance provision on EC utilization.

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Main Results:

Emergency contraception is 75-85% effective, with highest efficacy within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse.
No major adverse outcomes have been reported with EC use, and it does not negatively affect fetal development.
Advance provision of EC significantly increases its use without impacting routine contraceptive use.

Conclusions:

Emergency contraception is a safe and effective option for preventing unintended pregnancies.
Physicians offering advance prescriptions for EC can improve access and utilization, thereby reducing pregnancy rates.