Oral and IUD emergency contraception provision among a national sample of obstetrician-gynecologists

Neko M Castleberry; Lauren Stark; Jay Schulkin; Daniel Grossman

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2020.08.013

Oral and IUD emergency contraception provision among a national sample of obstetrician-gynecologists

Contraception. 2020 Dec;102(6):406-408. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2020.08.013. Epub 2020 Sep 6.

Authors

Neko M Castleberry¹, Lauren Stark², Jay Schulkin³, Daniel Grossman⁴

Affiliations

¹ Research Department, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 409 12th Street SW, Washington, DC, 20024, USA; Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Affairs, The American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Research Department, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 409 12th Street SW, Washington, DC, 20024, USA.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Univ. of Washington School of Medicine, Box 356460, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, CA, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 32898546
DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2020.08.013

Abstract

Objective: To assess obstetrician-gynecologists' practices related to emergency contraception (EC). We performed a survey of ACOG Fellows and Junior Fellows between August 2016 and March 2017.

Results: The final sample was 1280 respondents (52.2% response rate). The majority (84%) reported offering at least one form of EC, with 18% offering ulipristal acetate and 29% offering copper IUDs. Fifty-seven percent of those offering IUDs reported recommending them in the last 12 months. Few had placed IUDs for EC. Half of ob-gyns reported not recommending copper IUDs because patients rarely seek EC.

Conclusion: Many obstetrician-gynecologists are not offering the most effective forms of EC.

Implications: Both patients and clinicians need more outreach about the most effective methods of emergency contraception.

Keywords: Emergency contraception; Intrauterine device (IUD); Long-acting reversible contraception; Obstetrician–gynecologists.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Contraception
Contraception, Postcoital*
Female
Humans
Intrauterine Devices*
Intrauterine Devices, Copper
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception*
Middle Aged
Physicians / psychology*