Emergency contraception: update and review.
Emergency contraception (EC) is the postcoital method of pregnancy prevention. Three methods of EC are used in the United States: (1) levonorgestrel-only pills, Plan B (Barr Pharmaceuticals, LLC, New Jersey) (2) combined estrogen and progestin pills, and (3) the copper intrauterine device. Used within 120 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse, EC reduces the risk of pregnancy by 60 to 94%. EC is a critical component of medical care for sexual assault survivors, and several states have laws mandating this standard of care. Levonorgestrel-only EC is available to women >or=17 years of age without a prescription. Women who were counseled by their clinician about EC were 11 times more likely to use EC in the following 12 months. Advance provision of EC to women has not been found to decrease rates of unintended pregnancy compared with routine pharmacy access; however, women routinely prefer advance provision. The newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration single-dose EC, Plan B One-Step (Barr Pharmaceuticals, LLC), may affect unintended pregnancy rates among EC users by simplifying use.
Langston
Aileen
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, USA. al2632@columbia.edu
D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007435:Intrauterine Devices, Copper / Q000009:adverse effects; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009649:Norpregnadienes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D014481:United States
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009649:Norpregnadienes; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel; C094854:ulipristal