Teenagers' use of emergency contraception in a general practice

British teenagers who become pregnant commonly express ignorance about emergency contraception. A case-note survey was conducted in a general practice serving about 14,200 people in a Devon market town. Of the 373 registered girls aged 15-19 years, 59 (16%) had consulted for emergency contraception, 19 of them more than once. The oral method (Yuzpe regimen) was prescribed eighty times and 2 girls became pregnant. 4 of the 59 girls who used emergency contraception had subsequent unwanted pregnancies. A consultation for emergency contraception presents an opportunity to discuss more reliable and acceptable methods of contraception.