Emergency contraception and impact on abortion rates

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2019Source: Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & GynaecologyAuthor(s): L. Michie, S.T. CameronAbstractEmergency contraception (EC) is a drug or a device that is taken after sexual intercourse to prevent unintended pregnancy. The most effective EC is the copper bearing intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) but oral EC methods are more commonly used and include a single dose of either levonorgestrel (1.5 mg) or ulipristal acetate (30mg). Although all EC methods are extremely safe, access to EC is often limited due to prevailing misconceptions over how EC works. Although EC can prevent unintended pregnancy for an individual woman it has failed to make an impact on abortion rates at a population level. This may be because it is not used after every episode of unprotected sex and because existing oral EC methods are only effective if used before ovulation. Future strategies around EC should focus on maximising uptake of Cu-IUD, facilitate initiation of effective regular contraception after EC and develop a more effective oral EC.
Source: Best Practice and Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Category: OBGYN Source Type: research