Emergency Contraception Given Without Prescription Used Safely and Correctly

A study conducted in Edinburgh Scotland in 1994-96 found that women who have access to emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) without a prescription use the method correctly and experience no serious adverse effects. 553 women 16-44 years of age recruited from a family planning clinic or a hospital were given a 1-time supply of ECPs to take home along with instructions and a notification form; another 530 women received information about the method and its source but no supply of pills. In the 12 months after study enrollment 36% of women who had a home supply of ECPs compared with 14% of those who received information only used the method. Information from the 91 participants in the study group who returned a notification form indicated all but 1 woman used the method correctly. 89% of women in the study group reported that their routine contraceptive use was not affected by having a supply of ECPs; only 2% reported their willingness to take sexual risks increased. 12 pregnancies occurred during a cycle in which emergency contraception was used; a 3% failure rate. 79% of women who obtained a supply of ECPs compared with 61% of those given information only believed the method should be available without a prescription.