[Postcoital contraception or abortion? A longitudinal study of young women]

The use of postcoital contraception or emergency contraception has increased in many countries. This has been linked to an expected reduction in the abortion rates, but so far there is no evidence of such an association. A possible explanation could be that women who are in the risk zone for abortion typically do not use emergency contraception. The aim of study was to investigate possible differences between the two groups.

768 Norwegian women (a representative sample) were followed up from they were 15 to 27 years. Data were collected through surveys on; emergency contraception and induced abortion, sociodemographic characteristics, family relationships, and individual aspects previously reported to be associated with an increased risk of induced abortion (education level, conduct problems and depression).

Women who use emergency prevention are recruited (more often than expected) from families with a high income (OR 2.0; 95 % CI 1.3 - 2.9), but otherwise have no characteristics that discriminate them from the rest of the population. Induced abortion was however associated with risk factors such as depression (OR 3.2; 95 % CI 1.7 - 6.0) and deviant peer groups (OR 2.5; 95 % CI 1.3 - 4.8), and they rarely have education at a university- or college level (OR 0.2; 95 % CI 0.1 - 0.7).

Emergency contraception appears to be used by others than those with typical risk factors for abortion. One should consider targeted preventive interventions to increase the use of emergency contraception in groups at-risk for induced abortion.