Emergency Contraception Users Research Articles

Trends in Encounters for Emergency Contraception in US Emergency Departments, 2006-2020

This cross-sectional study of female emergency contraception users examines emergency contraception–related emergency department use disparities and associations with policy changes.

Examining the Awareness Levels, Usage Trends, and Influencing Factors of Emergency Contraceptives Among Women in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Research Inquiry

Unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions remain significant global public health concerns, particularly in low-income countries. This research assessed the awareness, usage, and influencing factors of emergency contraceptives among women in the Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design where 384 questionnaires were distributed among sampled women of the reproductive age group (15-49 Years) in the study area. The findings indicate that while roughly half of the respondents were aware of emergency contraceptives, there is room for improvement in terms of disseminating information about their availability and usage. Regarding the usage of emergency contraception, a sizable portion of respondents (34.3%) said they had used it, although the majority (65.7%) had not. Furthermore, formal sensitization on emergency contraceptives is lacking for a large part of the population, just as a significant proportion of respondents have yet to use them. The study also found that factors influencing women's attitudes toward emergency contraceptives in Ussa Local Government Area include economic constraints, knowledge gaps, moral beliefs, partner dynamics, social stigma, and the fear of negative health implications. Based on the findings of the study, the recommendations include enhancing health promotions by Health agencies in Ussa Local Government, encouraging parent-child discussions on reproductive health, engaging traditional and religious leaders in family planning promotions, establishing young girls-friendly centers, and implementing comprehensive reproductive health education programs to empower women and reduce unintended pregnancies.

The current status of emergency contraception use in reproductive-aged Korean women: a population-based internet survey

Objective This study was conducted to assess the current status of emergency contraception (EC) use in reproductive-aged Korean women. Materials and methods This study utilized a population-based, cross-sectional online survey using a self-completed questionnaire in women aged 20-44 years who had visited a clinic in the previous six months for contraception counseling. Reason for use, anxiety, and counseling for further contraception at EC use were analyzed according to age, history of childbirth, and contraceptive failure in EC users. Results Among 1,011 respondents, 461 (45.6%) had experience with EC use. Younger age, need for EC due to inadequate contraception, and high anxiety were highly prevalent among EC users. However, women in the 20s were less likely to get counseling for further contraception at EC use. Additionally, the proportions of women who used EC due to inadequate contraception during sexual intercourse and who experienced high anxiety were lower among women who had a history of childbirth. Women who had a history of contraceptive failure worried less about EC use. Conclusion Our findings offer insight for developing and improving individualized strategies for appropriate contraception, especially in young Korean EC users.

Emergency Contraception: Ongoing Medical, Pharmacological, Political, and Ethical Controversies

The aim of the critical analysis is an illumination of unresolved issues on Emergency Contraception (EC). This form of contraception has been offered as an effective method of birth control to women since the end of the last century. At present -- in the post-Roe generation where access to abortion has been restricted -- the interest in EC is increasing. It is important therefore to provide accurate and complete information on which prospective users of EC can rely. Material and Metho The material encompasses documents issued by leading health authorities -- such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- as well as research articles published in high-ranked scientific journals. This material is assessed by a critical analysis which compares the discrepancies in data provided and in claims made. Results The result is evidence of publications containing unreliable claims and conflicting views on some of the most salient aspects of EC such as safety, efficacy, mode of action, drug-drug interactions, legislation on abortion medication, and ethical discussions on the protection of life. Implications Consumers and patients should be critical towards claims made by health agencies and rather rely on high-level research in the area of pharmacovigilance and on publications by legal experts.

One-year pregnancy and continuation rates after placement of levonorgestrel or copper intrauterine devices for emergency contraception: a randomized controlled trial

Recent evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device for emergency contraception vs the copper T380A intrauterine device. Of note, 1-year pregnancy and continuation rates after intrauterine device placement for emergency contraception remain understudied. This study compared 1-year pregnancy and intrauterine device continuation rates and reasons for discontinuation among emergency contraception users randomized to the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device or the copper intrauterine device. This participant-masked, randomized noninferiority trial recruited emergency contraception individuals desiring an intrauterine device from 6 Utah family planning clinics between August 2016 and December 2019. Participants were randomized 1:1 to the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device group or the copper T380A intrauterine device group. Treatment allocation was revealed to participants at the 1-month follow-up. Trained personnel followed up the participants by phone, text, or e-mail at 5 time points in 1 year and reviewed electronic health records for pregnancy and intrauterine device continuation outcomes for both confirmation and nonresponders. We assessed the reasons for the discontinuation and used Cox proportional-hazard models, Kaplan-Meier estimates, and log-rank tests to assess differences in the continuation and pregnancy rates between the groups. The levonorgestrel and copper intrauterine device groups included 327 and 328 participants, respectively, receiving the respective interventions. By intention-to-treat analysis at 1 year, the pregnancy rates were similar between intrauterine device types (2.8% [9/327] in levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device vs 3.0% [10/328] in copper intrauterine device; risk ratio, 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-2.2; P=.82). Most pregnancies occurred in participants after intrauterine device removal, with only 1 device failure in each group. Of note, 1-year continuation rates did not differ between groups with 204 of 327 levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device users (62.4%) and 183 of 328 copper T380A intrauterine device users (55.8%) continuing intrauterine device use at 1 year (risk ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.2; P=.09). There were differences concerning the reasons for discontinuation between intrauterine device types, with more bleeding and cramping cited among copper intrauterine device users. The pregnancy rates were low and similar between intrauterine device types. Of note, 6 of 10 intrauterine device emergency contraception users continued use at 1 year. Moreover, 1-year continuation rates were similar between intrauterine device types.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Use of Emergency Contraceptives in Ghana: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

The Coronavirus disease pandemic has disrupted reproductive health services including decline in the use of pre-coital contraceptives. However, evidence of its impact on the use of emergency contraceptives, often, post-coital methods, is limited in the emerging literature, hence this study. Data on total number of emergency contraceptive users from January 2018 to February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and March to December 2020 (during the pandemic) were extracted from the Ghana Health Service District Health Information Management System. Interrupted Time Series analysis was used to estimate the impact of the pandemic on the trend of emergency contraceptive use, adjusting for serial autocorrelation and seasonality. The results showed a gradual upward trend in emergency contraceptive use before the pandemic, increasing at a rate of about 67 (95% CI 37.6–96.8; p = 0.001) users per month. However, the pandemic caused a sudden spike in the use of emergency contraceptives. The pandemic and its related restrictions had an immediate effect on the use of emergency contraceptives, increasing significantly by about 1939 users (95% CI 1096.6–2781.2; p = 0.001) in March 2020. Following March 2020, the number of emergency contraceptive users continued to increase by about 385 users per month (95% CI 272.9–496.4; p = 0.001). The evidence shows that use of emergency contraceptives, often used as post-coital methods for unprotected sex was not negatively impacted by the pandemic. In fact, it is the opposite. Hence, in planning for similar situations attention should be given to the distribution of post-coital contraceptive methods.

Effect of ulipristal acetate on gene expression profile in endometrial cells in culture and in vivo upon post-ovulatory administration in fertile women

Purpose To analyse the effect of ulipristal acetate (UPA) as emergency contraception (EC) on the gene expression of human endometrial cell line (HEC-1A) and endometrium from fertile women treated with UPA after ovulation. Materials and methods HEC-1A cells were treated with UPA, and endometrial tissue from four healthy women was collected in cycles before, during and 2 months after post-ovulation pill intake. Ovulation and luteal phase were monitored, and endometrial biopsies were obtained at day LH + 7 in each cycle. In all cases, we analysed the expression profile of 192 genes associated to endometrial receptivity. Results We observed a significant change in total transcriptomic activity of UPA-treated HEC-1A cells compared to controls. In vivo, we also observed a trend to down-regulation of genes in the UPA-treated cycle that was partially restored in the post-treatment cycle. Altogether, our results supported a partially reversible effect of UPA in gene expression associated with uterine receptivity. Conclusions When UPA was administered after ovulation, it seems to induce a down-regulation of the main genes involved in conditioning the endometrium for implantation. This effect is partially restored two months after pill intake. The action of UPA on the endometrium for users of EC should be further investigated.

Dynamics of Emergency Contraceptive Use in Accra, Ghana.

Recent data suggest increasing rates of emergency contraception (EC) use in Ghana, particularly in urban areas. In 2018, we collected survey data from 3,703 sexually experienced women aged 16-44 years living in low-income settlements of Accra. We estimated the prevalence of lifetime and current EC use. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with current use of EC. Retrospective monthly calendar data on contraceptive use were analyzed to identify patterns of EC use, including repeat and continuous use, and uptake of other contraceptive methods in the months following EC use. Nearly 15 percent of women had ever used EC. About half of recent EC users (52 percent) used EC for at least four months cumulatively within a 12-month window. There was no evidence of adoption of other modern methods in the months after using EC. Our results suggest that EC is a common method for pregnancy prevention in Accra, particularly among young, unmarried, highly educated women. Counseling on effective EC use and strategies that promote equitable access should be prioritized.

Men's knowledge, attitude, and barriers towards emergency contraception: A facility based cross-sectional study at King Saud University Medical City.

BackgroundMale partners have a considerable role in influencing women’s contraceptive decision making to reduce the chance of unintended pregnancy. Most studies are focused on women’s knowledge and barriers for emergency contraception (EC) use. There is limited research on this topic from the male perspective. This study aimed to gather baseline data on men’s knowledge, attitudes and barriers about EC.MethodsDescriptive analytic cross-sectional study was conducted from Dec 2019 –May 2020 at the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH); a teaching facility with general and subspecialty medical services in King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive statistics and Chi square tests were used. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find significant predictors for EC awareness and use. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 461 participants completed the questionnaire (response rate 86%). The majority (82%) of the participants were unaware of EC; with only 18% having some knowledge. Knowledgeable men had positive attitudes (73.5%) about EC as compared to non- knowledgeable ones (55.0%). Factors found to be associated with less knowledge of EC were cultural [0.46, 95%CI 0.22. 0.96] and religious unacceptability [OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.29, 0.89)]. Higher level of education [OR 1.83, 95%CI 0.94, 3.53] was associated with more knowledge regarding EC. The study showed that correct information about using contraceptives within 3 days of unprotected sex [OR 4.96, 95%CI 1.81, 13.60]; availability without prescription [OR 5.06, 95%CI 1.68, 15.30], EC advertisement [OR 4.84, 95%CI 0.96, 24.27] and receipt of information from family/friends [OR 18.50, 95%CI 5.19, 65.93] were factors that contributed to men using EC.ConclusionThe current knowledge of EC among men is limited. Social determinants affect these levels of knowledge, as well as the usage of EC. Factors that were associated with the use of ECPs were correct knowledge, advertisement, availability and receipt of information from family/friends. The findings highlight the need to educate men on this important topic to avoid unintended pregnancy, keeping in view cultural and social values. Future qualitative studies are needed to understand the male perspective.

The intrauterine device versus oral hormonal methods as emergency contraceptives: A systematic review of recent comparative studies

Oral emergency contraceptives do not appear to be as effective as the copper IUD as an emergency contraceptive. There is as yet no estimation of the relative efficacy rates rather than the failure rates. The references for this study were obtained by entering the terms “intrauterine device” “and “emergency contraception” in Medline, PubMed, Popline, Global Health and ClinicalTrials.gov. Chinese references were obtained from the Wanfang database. For the short term study articles with a defined population who were followed up after the index cycle were eligible. Women who were adequately followed for at least 6 months were included in the long term study.There were 13(of 228) studies which met our selection criteria and were conducted between August 2011 and January 2019. There were 960 insertions of four types of copper IUD with a failure rate of 0.104%. There were 22 failures out of 1453 oral emergency contraception users with a failure rate of 1.51%. The relative risk of failure for an intrauterine device versus an oral method was 0.1376(95% CI −0.03–0.58). The 6 month to 12 month pregnancy rate was 0–6% for IUDs and 2.7–12% for oral methods.The copper IUD appears to be more effective than oral methods as an emergency contraceptive. The 6 to 12 month pregnancy rates after using either method is 4–10%. Emergency contraception is not a solution to unintended pregnancy.

Use of nonpreferred contraceptive methods among women in Ohio

ObjectivesWe describe the prevalence and correlates of nonuse of preferred contraceptive method among women 18-44 years of age in Ohio using contraception. Study DesignThe population-representative Ohio Survey of Women had 2529 participants in 2018–2019, with a response rate of 33.5%. We examined prevalence of preferred method nonuse, reasons for nonuse, and satisfaction with current method among current contraception users (n = 1390). We evaluated associations between demographic and healthcare factors and preferred method nonuse. ResultsAbout 25% of women reported not using their preferred contraceptive method. The most common barrier to obtaining preferred method was affordability (13%). Those not using their preferred method identified long-acting methods (49%), oral contraception (33%), or condoms (21%) as their preferred methods. The proportion using their preferred method was highest among intrauterine device (IUD) users (86%) and lowest among emergency contraception users (64%). About 16% of women using permanent contraception reported it was not their preferred method. Having the lowest socioeconomic status (versus highest) (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.11–1.96), Hispanic ethnicity (versus non-Hispanic white) (PR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.15–2.90), reporting poor provider satisfaction related to contraceptive care (PR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.02–5.29), and not having a yearly women's checkup (PR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.01–1.68) were significantly associated with nonuse of preferred method. Compared to preferred-method nonusers, higher proportions of preferred-method users reported consistent contraceptive use (89% vs. 73%, p < 0.001) and intent to continue use (79% vs. 58%, p < 0.001). ConclusionsAffordability and poor provider satisfaction related to contraceptive care were associated with nonuse of preferred contraceptive method. Those using their preferred method reported more consistent use. ImplicationsCost is an important barrier for women in obtaining their preferred contraceptive methods. Low quality birth control care may also be a barrier to preferred-method use. Removal of cost barriers and improvement in contraceptive counseling strategies may increase access to preferred contraceptive methods.

Who Is Best to Test? A Systematic Review of Chlamydia Infections in Switzerland.

In many countries, community pharmacies provide sexual-health-related services to limit the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including chlamydia testing. To identify suitable target groups for pharmacy-based chlamydia testing in Switzerland, we aimed to assess chlamydia prevalence, identify risk groups, and delineate screening strategies. We conducted a systematic literature search up to December 2019 in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, according to the PRISMA guidelines, using as keywords “chlamydia”, “screening”, and “Switzerland”. Two researchers screened the title, abstract, and full-text article and assessed the methodological quality. The literature search generated 108 hits, and nine studies were included. Chlamydia prevalence ranged between 0.8 and 12.8%. Most frequently affected were undocumented women undergoing voluntary termination of pregnancy (12.8%, 95% CI: 8.4–18.9), HIV-positive men who have sex with men (10.9%, 95% CI: 9.2–17.6), and adult offenders (6.5%, 95% CI: 3.2–9.0). Systematic screening was suggested for the first two risk groups and women suffering a miscarriage. To conclude, chlamydia infections are prevalent in Switzerland, but the identified risk groups are difficult to reach for a pharmacy-based testing service. More studies are needed to identify suitable target groups, including customers seeking sexual health services, particularly emergency contraception users who already receive counselling for STIs at community pharmacies.

Mixed-methods study on pharmacies as contraception providers to Kenyan young people: who uses them and why?

ObjectivesThis study sought to answer two questions: (1) what are the characteristics of young Kenyans aged 18–24 who use contraception obtained at pharmacies, and (2) why are pharmacies appealing sources...

Knowledge and attitudes about the use of emergency contraception among college students in Tamil Nadu, India

BackgroundIn India, a large number of pregnancies are unplanned resulting in unsafe and illegal abortion. For every legal abortion, 10 to 11 illegal abortions are occurring which endangers the health and survival of the women. In recent years, there is an increase in unwanted and unintended pregnancy at the early age group. Usage of emergency contraception (EC) can decrease the unwanted pregnancy and provide a healthier life.AimThe aim of study is to assess the knowledge and attitude regarding EC among college students in Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu, India.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among the college students of Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 758 students were selected by convenient sampling technique. Data was collected by administering a pretested semi-structured questionnaire.ResultsOut of 758 students, 183(24%) heard about EC. The commonest source of information was the internet 91 (49.7%). The majority 116 (63.4%) knew that it does not prevent STDs. Of those who were aware, 42% were aware of 42.6% are aware of the time limit to use EC. The knowledge level of about the EC was moderate (60.1%), and it was significantly (p < 0.05) more among students > 25 years old, married participants, students in private institution, of lower socio-economic status, Muslim students and days’ scholars. The negative attitude towards EC was 59%. Nearly 38.8% believed that the EC will affect the next menstrual period, and 35.5% informed it will increase high risk behaviour among adults. The attitude level was significantly associated with the same factors associated with the awareness level with the factors Christian religion replacing Muslim and higher socioeconomic class replacing lower class participants.ConclusionThe knowledge level of the studied college students was moderate, and they mostly had negative attitude towards the EC. Reproductive health education should be given in educational institutions to promote awareness and to remove misconceptions about EC.

Knowledge and Perception of Emergency Contraceptives Among Adolescent Girls in Imo State, Nigeria

Unintended teenage pregnancies are associated with several negative outcomes, which include unsafe abortion, school dropout and emotional distress. Contraceptives, especially emergency contraceptives, which offer a second chance of preventing an unplanned pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, may be useful in reducing teenage pregnancies. There have been several studies on the assessment of the level of knowledge and usage of emergency contraception among adolescents. This study focused on comparing the knowledge and perception of emergency contraceptives among female adolescents in co-educational secondary schools and girls-only schools. The study utilized mixed methods to examine knowledge and perception of emergency contraceptives among adolescent girls in Imo State, Nigeria. Systematic and simple random sampling techniques were used to pick respondents from the purposively selected schools in Imo State. Only 14.5% of the respondents had good knowledge of emergency contraceptives even though 52.8% of the sample had heard of them. In the girls-only schools, 19.4% of the respondents had good knowledge of emergency contraceptives, compared with 9.2% of the respondents in co-educational schools who had such knowledge. Additionally, only 25% of the respondents in all had ever used emergency contraceptives. All the respondents had the notion that emergency contraceptives might cause female infertility. The schools had almost similar perceptions about emergency contraceptives. Therefore, sex education, specifically for each gender, is recommended. Also, awareness programs on the use of emergency contraceptives should be intensified among adolescents.

Contraceptivo oral de emergência: indicações, uso e reações adversas

Objetivo: Verificar a frequência, faixa etária e outras características populacionais dos usuários do contraceptivo de emergência (CE), avaliar seus efeitos adversos, quais situações motivadoras do uso do medicamento e quais fontes de informação acerca do produto são mais utilizadas. Métodos: Foi realizada pesquisa descritiva durante o período de setembro de 2014 a janeiro de 2018, utilizando as bases de dados SciELO e Pubmed, além de livros relacionados ao tema e os descritores: Anticoncepcional, Contraceptivo de Emergência e Emergency Contraception. Resultados e Conclusão: Apesar das orientações sobre uso correto do CE, os maiores motivos para procura e administração deste medicamento são: insegurança sobre outro método contraceptivo utilizado, não uso do preservativo e/ou rompimento do mesmo e uso incorreto dos anticoncepcionais orais. Adicionalmente, o perfil das usuárias é predominantemente de mulheres com idade entre 16 e 30 anos, sendo 77,8% com renda inferior a três salários mínimos. Os meios mais utilizados para informações referentes à contracepção emergencial dividem-se em escola/faculdade 65,10%, jornais, revistas e internet 63,60% e amigos 61,20%. Dentre os efeitos adversos observados relacionados pode-se destacar náuseas, vômitos, sangramento uterino irregular, antecipação ou atraso da menstruação, aumento da sensibilidade mamária, retenção hídrica e cefaleia.

Use of levonorgestrel as emergency contraception in overweight women

ObjectiveLevonorgestrel (LNG) emergency contraception (EC) may have decreased efficacy for women with body mass indices (BMI)≥26kg/m2. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of LNG EC use and EC counseling among overweight women. MethodsThe 2013–2015 dataset from the National Survey of Family Growth was analyzed to determine the proportion of women with BMI≥26kg/m2 who report recent use of LNG EC and EC counseling. ResultsOverall, 2.4% of respondents reported recent use of LNG EC. Among women using oral LNG for EC, 29.8% of survey participants reported BMI≥26kg/m2. Additionally, 40.2% of women with BMI≥26kg/m2 using oral LNG EC reported having a doctor or medical provider talk to them about emergency contraception within the last 12 months, compared to 18.3% of LNG EC users with BMI<26kg/m2 (p<0.001). ConclusionsDespite recent counseling from clinicians and concerns for decreased efficacy, a significant number of overweight women continue to use LNG for EC. Clinicians should counsel women with BMI≥26kg/m2 on the potential limitations of oral LNG for EC and offer more effective EC methods, including the copper intrauterine device and oral ulipristal acetate.

Emergency contraception and risk habits in a university population

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the self-reported prevalence of use of emergency contraception (EC), identify factors associated with EC use, and measure the prevalence in university students of pregnancy and abortion among users and non-users of EC.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of university students using a self-administered questionnaire was carried out in 2016. The main dependent variable was EC use at any time. Independent variables included sociodemographic factors and factors related to harmful habits and sexual behaviour.Results: The study sample consisted of 1309 students (median age 20 years). Forty per cent of participants reported using EC; condom failure was given as the main reason. Variables associated with EC use in both men and women were illegal drug consumption and having had more than 10 sexual partners. In women, other factors associated with EC use were age at first coitus and non-centrist political views. The prevalence of pregnancy was 6.5% and the prevalence of voluntary abortion was 2.9%. This prevalence was similar for men and women and for EC users and non-users.Conclusion: EC use in university students was more likely in those who experienced contraceptive failure or used no contraception. There were differences between men and women. Those at higher risk of unplanned pregnancy were more likely to report EC use, which may explain why there was no difference in the rates of unwanted pregnancies between EC users and non-users.

Breaking the silence: Correlates of awareness and usage of emergency contraception amongst youth

Breaking the silence: Correlates of awareness and usage of emergency contraception amongst youth

The provision of emergency contraception in Kinshasa's private sector pharmacies: experiences of mystery clients

ObjectivesRecent programmatic and research efforts on addressing gaps in health systems of low-income countries increasingly see task shifting, i.e. the provision of healthcare by non-medically trained personnel, as a possible solution to increase the availability of specific services and commodities. In Kinshasa, private-sector pharmacies are the primary and preferred provider of family planning (FP) methods, and thus constitute a potential resource for expanding access to specific contraceptives. The objective of this study is to explore selected pharmacies' readiness to serve women seeking emergency contraception (EC). Study designThis study used a mystery client (MC) methodology to visit 73 pharmacies in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Trained interviewers posed as novice EC users and asked specific questions to evaluate the pharmacy staff's technical knowledge of EC and their attitudes towards EC clients. The results of the MC visit were recorded immediately after the MC left the pharmacy. ResultsFindings indicate that more than two-thirds of EC providers were knowledgeable about EC dosage, timeframe, and side effects, and 90% were deemed helpful towards novice EC users. Rare but glaring misconceptions about EC timeframe (20% of providers) and long-term side effects (4% of providers), as well as frequent stock-out (22%) and cost issues highlight priorities for programmatic improvements. ConclusionsAs new service delivery strategies are explored to complement the uneven network of health structures in DRC, this study suggests that, given proper training and integration in FP programming, private-sector pharmacies have the potential to meet specific contraceptive needs for women living in Kinshasa. Implication statementPrivate pharmacies included in study sample in Kinshasa (DRC) have adequate family planning (FP) service skills to provide clients with emergency contraceptive pills.These higher-end outlets constitute an opportunity for expanding access to FP, although, under total market approaches, a more diverse range of drugs shops should be investigated.