Emergency Contraception (ECP): Reducing Unintended Pregnancies
Emergency Contraception (ECP): Reducing Unintended Pregnancies
Emergency contraception is a method of birth control that can be used up to three days after
 sexual intercourse. Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) can be given to a woman before she
 needs them (advance provision) or when she needs them (emergency provision). This study will
 compare these two methods of providing ECPs.
ECPs can give women a "second chance" to prevent an unintended pregnancy that might arise
 because of lack or improper/defective use of contraceptives. By using ECP, a woman can reduce
 her risk of pregnancy by at least 75%; however, there is little information on what
 distribution patterns and other factors are most likely to encourage ECP use. This study will
 compare the use and cost of two ECP distribution patterns: advance provision and emergency
 provision. It will also identify environmental, situational, and behavioral factors
 associated with ECP acceptance and use.

 Participants in this study will be recruited from four family planning clinics in the
 Philadelphia area and five family planning clinics in the Pittsburgh area. Participants from
 the Philadelphia clinics will be given ECPs as part of a regular clinic visit (advance
 provision); participants from the Pittsburgh clinics will be given ECPs on an emergency basis
 (emergent provision). Each participant will complete a short intake form and will be issued a
 pager. Participants will be paged every month over an 18-month period as a reminder to
 respond to a short automated telephone survey on ECP, contraceptives, and pregnancy status.
 Approximately half of the participants will be randomly selected to participate in in-depth
 interviews at study entry and Months 9 and 18. Clinic visit data will augment the surveys to
 verify use of the clinic and contraceptive method and to develop cost data.
Inclusion Criteria

 -  Patient at a participating clinic

 Exclusion Criteria

 -  Pregnant

 -  Medical or surgical procedure preventing pregnancy (e.g., tubal ligation,
 hysterectomy)

 -  Norplant or IUDs

 -  Desires to become pregnant