Acceptance and use of emergency contraception with standardized counseling intervention: results of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this work was to evaluate the acceptance, use and recall of an optional advance prescription for emergency contraception (EC).

Materials and methods: This study used as randomized controlled trial evaluating contraceptive counseling intervention with women aged 16-44 years who were at risk for unintended pregnancy (N=737). Intervention participants (n=365) received contraceptive counseling with optional advance EC prescription. Control women (n=372) received no contraceptive or EC counseling. Among intervention participants, initial acceptance and use of EC in first 2 months were evaluated. Among all participants, differences were evaluated between recall of EC discussion and use of EC.

Results: Among 365 intervention women, 336 received EC counseling and 51% of these 336 accepted advance EC prescription. At 2 months, among the women who had accepted EC, 6% had filled and used their prescription and 8% had filled but not used their prescription. At 12 months, intervention women were significantly more likely than controls to recall talking about EC (33% vs. 5%) and obtaining a prescription (38% vs. 6%), but there were no differences in the use of EC (6% vs. 6%).

Conclusion: When the option is available for EC counseling, approximately half of women accepted advance prescription for EC. However, few women who received information and/or an advance prescription remembered discussing EC, filled the prescription or used EC over 12 months.