Abstract
Emergency contraceptives can prevent pregnancy, when used after unprotected sex around
the time of ovulation. In the past 15 years, access to emergency contraception (EC)
in the United States has increased and more women use it. Emerging data may tailor
EC prescribing based on patient weight and starting other contraception. There are
several EC options—oral levonorgestrel and oral ulipristal acetate and the copper
intrauterine device. Ideally, women should have EC access at low or no cost. Yet,
several barriers—limited patient and provider knowledge about EC, cost, EC stocking
practices, and state and federal laws exempting providers from supplying EC—make it
difficult to integrate this time-sensitive treatment into women's reproductive health
care.
Keywords
emergency contraception - Affordable Care Act - over-the-counter - levonorgestrel
- ulipristal acetate - copper intrauterine device