Limited impact of an intervention regarding emergency contraceptive pills in Sweden--repeated surveys among abortion applicants.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a community-based intervention consisting of an information campaign and advance provision of emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) to abortion applicants.

METHODS

Submission of repeated waiting room questionnaires to abortion applicants in two cities in mid-Sweden; one intervention city (IC) and one comparison city (CC) in 2002 (IC = 92, CC = 95) and 2003 (IC = 244, CC = 204).

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 90%. The percentage of women who had undergone an abortion within the previous year had decreased in the intervention group but not in the comparison group. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the targeted women had noticed the information campaign and one out of three (33%) who had visited a family planning clinic recalled being given information about ECP. There was a small decline in the use of combined oral contraceptives and intrauterine devices over time. After the intervention, women in the intervention city had better knowledge of ECP and had used it more than women in the comparison city did.

CONCLUSIONS

More than half of the targeted women had noticed the information campaign and it may have had a limited impact. Further investigations are needed to determine whether advance supply of ECP to abortion applicants can reduce repeat abortions.