Emergency contraception: a survey of 1773 women

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to retrieve data on the characteristics and profile of women attending an emergency service (ES) to receive a prescription (mandatory until May 2015) for emergency contraception (EC).

Methods: In a retrospective study the following data were collected for all women requesting EC between January 2014 and June 2015: demographic characteristics, time between unprotected sexual intercourse (USI) and arrival at the ES, time between the last menstrual period and the USI, and type of EC prescribed. In a prospective study starting January 2015, a questionnaire was administered requesting the following information: reasons for requiring EC, previous EC use, source of knowledge about EC, prior contraception and age at first intercourse.

Results: During the whole study period, 1773 women requested EC: their mean age was 26.0 years; 78.5% were Italian; 91.5% were unmarried; 55.2% were still studying and 51.9% had high school education; 61.2% reached the ES within 12 h of the USI; and 42.4% had a USI during days 9–16 of their menstrual cycle. Levonorgestrel was prescribed in 81.4% of women and ulipristal acetate in 17.7%. In the prospective part of the study (382 women), the majority (57.9%) requested EC for condom rupture; 49.5% reported previous use of EC; and 41.6% received information on the subject through friends. The vast majority (83.8%) reported prior use of contraception; in 25.4% the reason for not using it was the absence of a relationship.

Conclusion: An exact profile of women requesting EC can help women in their choice of permanent contraception, and help clinicians in counselling women on appropriate contraception.

Chinese abstract

目的: 这项研究的目的是检索关于妇女参加紧急服务 (ES) 、获得紧急避孕 (EC) 处方 (强制性, 截止2015年5月) 的特点及概况的资料。

方法: 在一项回顾性研究中, 收集2014年1月至2015年6月期间要求紧急服务的所有妇女的下列资料: 人口学特征、无保护性交 (USI) 至到达紧急服务的时间, 末次月经和无保护性交之间的时间, 紧急避孕处方的类型。在一项开始于2015年1月的前瞻性研究中, 提出了一个调查问卷, 要求以下信息: 需要紧急避孕的原因, 先前紧急避孕的使用, 关于紧急避孕知识的来源, 事先避孕和第一次性交的年龄。

结果: 在整个研究期间, 1773名妇女要求紧急服务: 她们的平均年龄为26岁; 78.5%是意大利人; 91.5%未婚; 55.2%仍在学习, 51.9%受高中教育; 61.2%在无保护性交后12小时内得到紧急服务; 42.4%在月经周期的9-16天发生无保护性交。81.4%的妇女使用左炔诺孕酮, 17.7%的妇女使用醋酸乌利司他。在研究的前瞻性部分 (382名妇女) , 大多数 (57.9%) 因为安全套破裂要求紧急避孕; 49.5%以前使用过紧急避孕; 41.6%通过朋友了解这方面信息。绝大多数 (83.8%) 事先使用避孕方法, 没有使用的原因25.4%是因为缺乏关系。

结论: 妇女要求紧急避孕的确切概况可以帮助她们选择永久性避孕方法, 并帮助临床医生在为妇女咨询时提供适当的避孕方法。

Keywords:

• Emergency contraception
• hormonal contraception
• levonorgestrel
• ulipristal acetate

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.