Health professionals' attitudes to the deregulation of emergency contraception (or the problem of female sexuality)

Emergency contraception can be used to prevent pregnancy up to 72 hours aft er unprotected sexual intercourse. Currently, this form of emergency contra ception is only available on prescription, but there is a possibility that emergency contraception may be deregulated (i.e, sold 'over the counter' by community pharmacists) in the future. This study used depth interviews to examine the views of 18 community pharmacists and six general practitioners towards the possible deregulation of emergency contraception. Most intervi ewees held overwhelmingly negative attitudes to such deregulation, in contr ast to their professional bodies. Opposition to deregulation resulted from a clearly articulated set of assumptions about female sexuality, particular ly that women are sexually irresponsible, chaotic and devious. We argue tha t these assumptions about female sexuality have a long and tenacious histor y. Health professionals' attitudes towards emergency contraception land the ir concomitant assumptions about women's sexuality) are likely to undermine the provision of deregulated emergency contraception.