Emergency contraception in Mexico City: What do health care providers and potential users know and think about it?

Emergency contraception promises to reduce Mexico's high unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion rates. Because oral contraceptives are sold over-the-c ounter, several emergency contraceptive regimens are already potentially av ailable to those women who know about the method. Soon, specially packaged emergency contraceptives may also arrive in Mexico. To initiate campaigns p romoting emergency contraception, we interviewed health cave providers and clients at health clinics in Mexico City, ascertaining knowledge, attitudes , and practices concerning the method. We found limited knowledge, but neve rtheless cautious support: for emergency contraception in Mexico. Health ca re providers and clients greatly overestimated the negative health effects of emergency contraception, although clients overwhelmingly reported that t hey would use or recommend it ii needed. Although providers typically advoc ated medically controlled distribution, clients believed emergency contrace ption should be more widely available, including in schools and vending mac hines, with information prevalent in the mass media and elsewhere. CONTRACE PTION 1999;60: 233-241 (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.