Access to emergency contraception.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate access to emergency contraception among women seeking help from clinicians who registered to be listed on the Emergency Contraception Hotline (1-888-NOT-2-LATE, ie, 1-888-668-2528) and the Emergency Contraception Website (not-2-late.com).


METHODS
Two college-educated investigators posing as women who had a condom break the previous night called 200 providers to seek help.


RESULTS
Only 76% of attempts resulted in an appointment or telephone prescription from a hotline provider within 72 hours, 14% were failures, and 11% resulted in referrals to other providers not listed on the hotline or website.


CONCLUSIONS
Even under ideal conditions, access to emergency contraception is currently constrained. Although emergency contraception could reduce significantly the incidence of unintended pregnancy and the consequent need for abortion, its potential will not be realized unless women have better access to clinicians who can prescribe emergency contraceptive pills.
Trussell
J
J
Office of Population Research, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544, USA. trussell@princeton.edu
Duran
V
V
Shochet
T
T
Moore
K
K
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital