Effectiveness of emergency contraception in women after sexual assault

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of emergency single-dose levonorgestrel contraception in preventing unintended pregnancies among woman who visited the emergency department (ED) due to sexual assault (SA).MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review in a university hospital in South Korea. Cases from November 10, 2006 to November 9, 2009 were enrolled. Information from the initial visit to the ED and subsequent follow-up visits to the gynecology outpatient clinic was collected.ResultsIn total, 1,179 women visited the ED due to SA. Among them, 416 patients had a gynecological examination and 302 patients who received emergency contraception (EC) (1.5 mg single-dose levonorgestrel) at the ED due to SA were enrolled. Ten patients did not return for follow-up examinations. In follow-up visits at the outpatient clinic, two pregnancies were confirmed, which showed the failure rate of the EC to be 0.68%.ConclusionSingle-dose levonorgestrel EC is extremely effective at preventing pregnancy among victims of SA.

Birth control knowledge among freshmen of four Italian universities

“…The morning-after pill can prevent unintended pregnancies if correctly used within few days of unprotected sex [42][43][44][45][46] . However, maybe as a result of misinformation and scarce knowledge, the morning-after pill has not proven to be effective in reducing unintended pregnancies or influencing the rates of abortions [42][43][44] . As shown in Table 6, the knowledge of the morning-after pill remains considerably low 29,31 .…”

Gravidez após violência sexual: vivências de mulheres em busca da interrupção legal

“…O atendimento emergencial, nas primeiras 72 horas após a violência, tem por objetivo acolhimento e administração de anticoncepção de emergência e a profilaxia para as DST, doenças virais e bacterianas. A maior parte das mulheres que recorre aos serviços de saúde para atendimento de emergência nas primeiras horas após a violência não engravida, dada a alta taxa de eficácia da anticoncepção de emergência 6 . Entretanto, para as falhas da anticoncepção de emergência e para mulheres que não procuram o atendimento emergencial, a gestação indesejada pode ocorrer.…”

Objeção de consciência ou instrumentalização ideológica? Uma análise dos discursos de gestores e demais profissionais acerca do abortamento legal

“…To this are added the contradictions of the discursive omissions we found, and we arrive at the enunciative contingent and its hidden intentionalities 24 . An effective network of care for women who have experienced sexual violence, in addition to specific care, provides emergency contraception 2,4 , reducing the number of pregnancies resulting from rapes and, consequently, the need for abortions 30 . A specific technical norm standardized emergency care, in the first 72 hours after the violence occurs, regarding welcoming patients, provision of emergency contraception and prophylaxis of STIs, viral and bacterial diseases 31 .…”

“…The surveillance and consequent punishment, however, are not restricted to women. Professionals who effectively participate in providing care to women who have experienced sexual violence are also stigmatized and suffer different forms of punishment 29,30 , which reinforces silencing 49,50 . Thus, a tacit, silent, unwritten rule is constructed which remains in effect because it is consistent with ideological formations found in society.…”