Abortion and contraception are essential components of reproductive healthcare. As 26 states are likely to severely restrict access to abortion following the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, access to emergency contraception will be more important than ever. Existing barriers to emergency contraception - including cost, obstacles to over-the-counter purchase, low awareness and availability of the most effective options, myths about safety and mechanism of action - already substantially limit access. Proactive solutions include public information campaigns; healthcare provider education about all emergency contraceptive options, including IUDs and advance provision of emergency contraceptive pills; innovative service delivery options such as vending machines and community distribution programs; and policy initiatives to ensure insurance coverage, eliminate pharmacy refusals, and support all service delivery options. In addition, we urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve updated labeling to align with the best available evidence that oral contraceptive pills work before ovulation and do not prevent implantation of a fertilized egg, as this language contributes to public confusion and access barriers. In the face of extreme limits on reproductive healthcare, now is the time to expand and protect access to emergency contraception so that everyone has the possibility of preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex or sexual assault.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2022.06.008 | DOI Listing |
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol
January 2025
Department of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology,Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland.
Introduction: In light of the current state of the law, it is not possible to invoke the conscience clause when providing pharmaceutical services, which includes the procedure for dispensing emergency contraception to a patient. Introduction of emergency contraception available withut prescription is associated with a necessity of creating safe procedures both for patients and pharmacists.
Aim Of The Study: The purpose of the study was to analyze the Polish and international legal regulation of the conscience clause issue and how to optimize the process of making emergency contraception available without a prescription.
J Womens Health (Larchmt)
January 2025
Obstetrics and Gynecology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
This clinical update serves as a brief summary of recently published and potentially practice changing journal articles. We review recent publications related to contraceptive safety and efficacy. The article discusses updated medical eligibility recommendations, effectiveness of progestin-only pills (including the newly approved over-the-counter pill), safety of estrogen containing contraceptives in those with migraine, topiramate interactions with hormonal contraception, and the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with oral emergency contraception to improve efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Background: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) rank in the top 5 disease categories for which adults in developing countries seek healthcare services. Community pharmacies offer clients convenience, proximity, extended opening hours, privacy, and efficiency, which could make them desirable locations for HIV and STI screening and treatment. We examined the feasibility of using point-of-care (POC) STI tests for screening HIV and other STIs at community pharmacies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Case Rep
January 2025
Breastfeeding Research Center Family Health Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran.
A rare spontaneous triplet heterotopic pregnancy occurred in a patient using emergency contraception. This highlights the need to consider heterotopic pregnancy in differential diagnoses for patients presenting with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, even with detected intrauterine pregnancies, especially after failed emergency contraception, necessitating thorough laboratory and ultrasonographic diagnostic work-up.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
January 2025
Department of Surgery, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, Wigan, GBR.
Background Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial, particularly in women of reproductive age presenting with acute abdominal pain. This audit aimed to assess the completeness and accuracy of gynecological history documentation, including pregnancy status, in female patients admitted for emergency surgery due to abdominal pain.
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