[Emergency contraception]

Sexual behaviour and contraception in people under the age of 20 in Alicante, Spain

OBJECTIVE

To describe and to analyse the relationship between patterns of sexually-risky behaviour and emergency contraception among young females attending a Family Planning Centre (FPC).

METHODS

Data was obtained from a systematic analysis of 384 health records.

RESULTS

Mean age of the sample subjects was 18.24 years (SD 1.47, range 13-20). Of these, 92% were single, 60% students and 83% were with the same partner. Age at first intercourse was 16.5 years (SD 1.52, range 11-20). Those who used condoms systematically totalled 72%. Mean number of sexual partners was 1.85 (SD 2.91, range 1-50). A total of 9% had become pregnant and 2% had had an abortion. Emergency contraception was resorted to by 26% of the young women on at least one occasion. Emergency contraception was related to younger age at first sexual intercourse (p < 0.001) and to a great number of partners (p = 0.011). Of the total number of subjects, 48.4% demonstrated sexually-risky behaviour. This behaviour was related to alcohol consumption (p < 0.0001) and to the existence of dysfunction (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Spanish youngsters have enough knowledge regarding contraception. Condoms are mostly used on the occasion of a first sexual intercourse. However, the frequency of sexually-risky behaviour is still high due to the limited use of condoms in successive sexual relations with the same partner. Sexually-risky behaviour is also related to a high number of partners and to alcohol consumption on weekends.

[Emergency contraception: user's profile in primary care emergency services]

OBJECTIVES

To establish the emergency contraception (EC) users profile and whether she perceives this type of contraception as an emergency. Design. Cross sectorial study (over one year period: March 2002-March 2003).

SETTING

Emergency Services in Primary Care. Usera and Carabanchel; 11th Area; Madrid.

PARTICIPANTS

Women requesting EC in these centres.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A questionary was filled out for all participants with their age, how many hours had spent since sexual intercourse took place (within 24 h), usual method of contraception used, previous use of EC, level of education, and reason for this request.

RESULTS

89 women. Drops out: 0. Average age: 23.7+/-48 years (range: 16-40 years). 79.8% of them came to medical emergency services in less than 24 h after sexual intercourse. Usual anticonceptive method was the condom (88.8%), 2.2% used hormones, 9% no contraceptive method at all and none of them had used the intrauterine device. 34.8% were previous users of EC. Education levels: 2.2% of women only could read and write, elementary school (37.1%), secondary school (34.8%) and high school (25.8%). Reasons for requesting EC: 91% condom failure, 7.9% not to have used any contraceptive method, and 1.1% wrong use of natural birth control methods. Among the women who had went to the emergency services within the 24 h of the sexual intercourse the 77.4% of all of them had requested EC previously and the 93% of those had requested EC for the first time (P=.032). Likewise all of them with high school level and who could write and read, the 93.9% with elementary school level, and the 71% with secondary studies went to the emergency services within the 24 h of the non protected sexual intercourse (P=.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the women were young, they perceived the unprotected sexual intercourses as an emergency, the condom was the most frequently used anticonceptive method, they requested EC due to condom breakage. In 1/3 of the cases the EC had been requested previously and this group and the young women with secondary studies one were who requested it later.