Many eligible young women aren't offered EC in the ED
Many eligible adolescents are not offered emergency contraception in the ED, in part because of misinformation about how the medication works, according to a new study.1 Of 291 ED physicians surveyed, 43% incorrectly answered questions about the drug.
For example, almost 20% incorrectly answered that emergency contraception had to be given within 24 hours of unprotected sex, when in fact the drug is effective for up to five days.
According to Monika Goyal, MD, lead author of the study and an emergency medicine physician at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, "Nurses can play a big role in helping to screen many adolescents who present to the emergency department to assess need for emergency contraception. To help prevent unintended pregnancy, this has to be a group effort and should not just fall on physicians."
Goyal recommends asking these three questions to female adolescents: "Are you sexually active?" "Have you had unprotected sexual intercourse within the last five days?" and "Are you trying to get pregnant?"
"This can easily help screen patients who would qualify for emergency contraception," she says. "The patients could then be educated and prescribed emergency contraception should they express the interest."
Goyal points to research showing that one-third of women under 18 years of age presented to a large urban ED with an unintended pregnancy risk.2 "All teenage patients should be screened for the need for emergency contraception, regardless of their chief complaint," says Goyal.
References
- Goyal M, Zhao H, Mollen C. Exploring emergency contraception knowledge, prescription practices, and barriers to prescription for adolescents in the emergency department. Pediatrics 2009; 123:765-770.
- Todd CS, Mountvarner G, Lichenstein R. Unintended pregnancy risk in an emergency department population. Contraception 2005; 71:35-39.
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