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Semin Reprod Med 2001; 19(4): 323-330
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-18640
Copyright © 2001 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Emergency Contraception

Charlotte Ellertson1 , James Trussell2 , Felicia Stewart3 , Jacqueline Koenig4 , Elizabeth G. Raymond5 , Tara Shochet6
  • 1Director of Reproductive Health for Latin America and the Caribbean, The Population Council-Mexico, Col. Villa Coyoacan, México
  • 2Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Associate Dean, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and Faculty Associate, Office of Population Research, Wallace Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
  • 3Co-Director, Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, University of California, San Francisco, California
  • 4Assistant Director, Online Outreach and Partnerships, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park, California
  • 5Associate Medical Director, Biomedical Affairs Division, Family Health International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
  • 6Research Assistant, Office of Population Research, Wallace Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
29 November 2001 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Emergency contraceptives are methods that prevent pregnancy when used shortly after unprotected sex. Three different emergency contraceptive methods are safe, simple, and widely available in the United States. These are: (1) ordinary combined oral contraceptives containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel taken in a higher dose for a short period of time and started within a few days after unprotected intercourse; (2) levonorgestrel-only tablets used similarly; and (3) copper-bearing intrauterine devices inserted within approximately 1 week after unprotected intercourse. Emergency contraceptive use is best known for women who have been raped, but the methods are also appropriate for women who have experienced condom breaks, women who did not use any method because they were not planning on having sex, or women who had unprotected intercourse for any other reason. Unfortunately, few women know about emergency contraceptives, and few clinicians think to inform their patients routinely about the option. A nationwide toll-free hotline (1-888-NOT-2-LATE) and a website (http://not-2-late.com) can help women learn about these options. Sharing ``family planning's best-kept secret'' widely with women could prevent as many as a million unwanted pregnancies annually in the United States.

KEYWORD

Emergency contraception - postcoital - Yuzpe - levonorgestrel - copper-IUD

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