The purpose of this study was to identify unique characteristics for seeking emergency contraception (EC) among sexually active unmarried women who attended a university-based women's health clinic (WHC).

Three hundred nine consecutive women who attended the women's health clinic for 3 months of the 2006 spring semester completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire.

Fisher exact and Student t tests were used to assess bivariate associations, and step-wise regression was used to determine independent associations.

Women who requested EC were more likely to have previously used EC (P < .001), to have had unprotected sex in the past 6 months (P < .001), to have experienced an unintended pregnancy in the past year (P = .009), and to perceive the need for EC use in the next 3 months (P < .001) but were less likely to use hormonal contraception or an intrauterine device (P < .001).

Our findings support the need for increased education that would include the use of and access to effective primary contraceptive methods in conjunction with EC awareness.

• ^{a Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Manoa, HI}
• ^{b University Health Services, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Manoa, HI}
• ^{c MCH-Epidemiology DPH, Anchorage, AK}

American Journal  Obtetrics & Gynecology

Volume 201, Issue 1, Pages 22.e1-22.e7 (July 2009)

http://www.e-medicum.com/noticiasDelDia/verNoticia.php?noticia=82904