Advance supply of emergency contraception: a randomized trial in adolescent mothers.

Objective: To examine whether the advanced provision of emergency contraception (AEC) to parenting youth would increase emergency contraception (EC) utilization, and whether AEC would impact the rates of unprotected sex and contraception use.

Design: Subjects were randomized to receive either information about EC or information and an actual supply of AEC. Subjects were interviewed at baseline, 6 and 12-month follow-up.

Setting: Urban non-medical case management office.

Participants: 160 adolescent mothers (ages 13 to 20) who were receiving case management services.

Intervention: Advance supply of emergency contraception.

Main Outcome Measures: Emergency contraception use, sexual activity, unprotected intercourse, contraceptive methods and use.

Results: Parenting teens who received AEC were much more likely to have used it than the control group at the 6-month interview (83% vs. 11%) and the 12-month interview (64% vs. 17%). Teens in the AEC treatment group were more likely to have unprotected sex at the 12-month follow-up interview (69% vs. 45%). There was no difference in condom use between the groups at either the 6-month, or the 12-month follow-up interviews.

Conclusion: Advance provision of emergency contraception in parenting teens increases the likelihood of its use, and does not affect the use of condoms, or hormonal methods of birth control. Parenting teens who receive AEC may be more likely to have unprotected sex.