Provision of emergency contraceptive pills to spermicide users in Ghana

This study evaluated the effect of two approaches To provision of emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) on ECP use and unprotected intercourse among wo men relying on spermicides for contraception. The study enrolled 211 women at 4 family planning clinics in Ghana. At two clinics, participants were ad vised to return to the clinic within 3 days after unprotected intercourse t o obtain ECPs. At the other two clinics, participants were given ECPs to ta ke home for use if unprotected intercourse occurred. All participants were asked to maintain daily diaries for 8 weeks to record information on sexual activity, spermicide use, and ECP use. Women at all clinics used ECPs afte r at least 78% of unprotected coital acts. ECPs were used more promptly by women who had the pills at home. At three of the clinics, at most 1.3% of t he coital acts were unprotected; at the fourth, 6.7% were unprotected. Our data did not suggest that the availability of ECPs increased the frequency of unprotected intercourse. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reser ved.