[Access to emergency contraception: old barriers and new questions].
OBJECTIVE
to compare two strategies of access to emergency contraception: only information and information with previous delivery of this contraceptive method, and its relationship with the use of this method and the regular use of contraceptives.


METHODS
from August 2004 to January 2005, 18 to 49-year-old volunteers, attended at reproductive health clinics from six Brazilian towns were recruited. The subjects were randomly distributed in a group getting information about emergency contraception (Control Group), or in a group getting information about this method and previous delivery of the contraceptive (Medicated Group). Follow-up visits occurred into four and eight months. Person and McNemar's tests were used for the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
from the 823 recruited subjects, 407 completed the 8-month-observation period and were the sample analyzed. Most of the subjects (61%) did not use the emergency contraceptive. The subjects from the Medicated Group used more emergency contraceptives (57%) than the ones from the Control Group (18%), and they did it more precociously, concerning the time since the unprotected sexual intercourse. There was a significant increase of regular use of contraceptives among the subjects who used emergency contraceptives in the Medicated Group (88% versus 97%) and a statistically nonsignificant decrease in the Control Group.


CONCLUSIONS
information and previous delivery intensified the access and use of emergency contraceptives, and did not reduce the regular use of contraceptives, including condoms.
Costa
Ney Francisco Pinto
NF
Secretário Executivo da Bem Estar Familiar no Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Ferraz
Elisabeth Anhel
EA
Souza
Cynthia Teixeira de
CT
Silva
Cláudio Felipe Ribeiro da
CF
Almeida
Mônica Gomes de
MG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult