title: Emergency contraception, myths and facts.
abstract: Emergency contraception has the potential to reduce the United States unintended pregnancy rate by half. This article discusses the evidence on the safety and efficacy of emergency contraception, its side effects, as well as its mechanisms of action. Emergency contraception availability presents many opportunities for enhanced contraceptive care, beyond the obvious lapse in condom use, and evidence is lacking for contraindications to this expanded role. This article concludes that clinicians caring for women of reproductive age should recognize the importance of ready access to this medication to help prevent unintended pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Beth Israel Residency in Urban Family Practice, New York, NY 10003, USA. lindaprine@earthlink.net
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prine
mesh_terms: D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000009:adverse effects; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D012449:Safety; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital