Emergency contraceptive use as a marker of future risky sex, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infection

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine whether emergency contraceptive use predicts future sex at risk for pregnancy, pregnancy, or sexually transmitted infection among young women.

Study design: A secondary analysis of control group participants (n = 718) from a recent trial of advanced provision of emergency contraception was conducted.

Results: We found no association between use of emergency contraception and either pregnancy or infection. Recent use predicted decreased occurrence of subsequent sex at risk for pregnancy among women with a history of sexually transmitted infection (relative risk [RR], 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.97), whereas ever having used predicted increased occurrence among women who either were highly effective method users (RR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.05-2.01) or had no history of sexually transmitted infection (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.04-1.65).

Conclusion: Information about prior emergency contraceptive use was not a useful predictor of subsequent pregnancy, infection, or sex at risk for pregnancy among these young women.