 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Tina Raine, MD, MPH1, Cynthia C. Harper, PhD2, Corinne Rocca, MPH3, Felicia Stewart, MD4, Richard Fischer, MD5, and Phillip Darney, MD, MSc4. (1) Department of OB/GYN, University of California, San Francisco, 1001 Potrero Avenue, Ward 6D, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-206-4692, rainet@obgyn.ucsf.edu, (2) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California San Francisco, Box 0744, 3333 California Street, Ste. 335, San Francisco, CA 94143-0744, (3) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 335, Box 0744, San Francisco, CA 94143-0744, (4) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California at San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 335, San Francisco, CA 94143-0744, (5) Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, 2211 Palm Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403
No studies to date have demonstrated reductions in unintended pregnancy rates among women who have easy access to emergency contraception. Expanding access to EC, which prevents pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, could substantially increase use of the method. To assess whether increasing access to EC through different distribution methods decreases unintended pregnancy rates, we randomly assigned 2,117 adolescents and young women, attending four family planning clinics in San Francisco from July 2001 to October 2002, to one of three distribution methods: through pharmacies without a prescription; advance provision (3 packs of Plan B); or standard clinic access. All study participants received basic information on EC and completed a questionnaire and a urine pregnancy test at baseline and at follow-up in 6 months. Forty-six percent of participants were adolescents; the rest were young women aged 20-24; 15% were African-American; 20% Latina; 31% White; 22% Asian/Pacific Islander; and 12% mixed race/other. About half (45%) of participants used oral contraceptives and 56% used condoms. At baseline, 46% reported having unprotected sex in the previous 6 months, a third of participants had been pregnant, and 27% reported having an abortion. While 93% had heard of emergency contraception, only 35% had ever used it prior to enrollment in the study. Survival analysis will be used to estimate the impact of different distribution methods of EC on pregnancy at follow-up. The effect of pharmacy access and advance provision on use of EC as well regular contraceptive method will also be assessed.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Contraception, Access
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Women's Capital Corporation - Plan B emergency contraception
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: research grants