Editorial

Emergency Contraception: A Call to Education

Authors: Deborah A. Humphrey, DO, FACP

Abstract

A few years back I was on call for the outpatient clinic and received a call from one of my partner’s patients stating she had just experienced a barrier contraception failure. The caller stated that this would be an ill-timed pregnancy and that she had heard from a friend that there was some type of pill available that would prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. At that time, I knew of the product to which she was referring but did not know the name of it. I was aware that the same result could be accomplished with standard oral contraceptives, and after some discussion, we agreed to use that option.

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References

1. Abbott J. Emergency contraception: what should our patients expect? Ann Emerg Med 2005;46:111–113.
 
2. Glasier A, Baird D. The effects of self-administering emergency contraception. N Engl J Med1998;339:1–4.
 
3. Brown SS, Eisenberg L, editors. The Best Intentions: Unintended Pregnancy and the Well-Being of Children and Families. Washington, DC, National Academy Press, 1995.
 
4. Weismiller DG. Emergency contraception. Am Fam Physician 2004;70:707–714.