In 2013, one-in-six pregnancies among women in Britain were unplanned, and 21% of all pregnancies resulted in an abortion. Emergency contraception can be used to prevent an unintended pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse or potential contraceptive failure; primary care can play a key role in provision of this option. This article will cover when emergency contraception should be offered, an overview of the three different methods available in the UK, as well as special circumstances, such as breastfeeding and the post-partum period, and the use of concomitant liver-enzyme-inducing drugs.
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