Emergency contraception for midwifery practice
Klima, C.S.
Journal of Nurse-Midwifery 43(3): 182-189
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0091-2182 PMID: 9674349 DOI: 10.1016/s0091-2182(98)00006-8Document Number: 399231
Midwives have substantial contact with women who are at risk of unintended pregnancy and are thus ideally placed to promote use of emergency contraception. Emergency contraception has the potential to reduce the risk of pregnancy after unprotected intercourse by as much as 75%. Potential candidates for this method are women who have missed multiple contraceptive pills, incorrectly used barrier methods, unsuccessfully relied on withdrawal, were exposed to a possible teratogen, or were sexually assaulted. Multiple studies have confirmed the effectiveness of postcoital regimens such as oral contraceptives containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel, progestin-only pills, the synthetic androgen Danazol, or IUD insertion. Nonetheless, emergency contraception remains underutilized in the US and other countries. There is a need for health care providers to begin to integrate this method into the routine education offered to women during comprehensive health care visits. Women who use barrier methods or spermicide alone as their primary birth control method may benefit from having emergency contraception readily available. Printed materials about emergency contraception should be placed in waiting rooms, and office staff should be prompted to schedule patients requesting the method immediately. Visits for emergency contraception offer a valuable opportunity to provide education about sexually transmitted diseases, safer sex practices, and the importance of consistent use of reliable contraception.