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Emergency Contraception: Review and Update

  • Family Planning (A. Burke, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obstetrics and Gynecology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Unintended pregnancy continues to be a substantial public health problem. Emergency contraception (EC) provides a last chance at pregnancy prevention. Several safe and effective options for emergency contraception are currently available. The Yuzpe method, a combined hormonal regimen, was essentially replaced by other oral medications including levonorgestrel and the antiprogestin ulipristal. The antiprogestin mifepristone has been studied for use as emergency contraception. The most effective postcoital method of contraception is the copper intrauterine device (IUD). Obesity and the simultaneous initiation of progestin-containing contraception may decrease the effectiveness of some emergency contraception.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Katharine Sznajder

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20037, USA

    Roxanne Jamshidi

Authors
  1. Katharine Sznajder
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  2. Roxanne Jamshidi
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Correspondence to Katharine Sznajder or Roxanne Jamshidi.

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Katharine Sznajder and Roxanne Jamshidi declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Family Planning

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Sznajder, K., Jamshidi, R. Emergency Contraception: Review and Update. Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep 5, 30–37 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-016-0138-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-016-0138-2

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