FSRH launches new Emergency Contraception guideline

This update of the 2012 Emergency Contraception guideline has been developed by the FSRH and brings together evidence and expert opinion on the provision of emergency contraception to women following unprotected sexual intercourse (UPSI). The guideline was developed with a team of experts in the relevant fields and has been extensively peer reviewed in accordance with methodology used for developing FSRH Clinical Guidelines.

This guideline is intended for UK clinicians including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) clinicians, pharmacists, general practitioners (GP), nurses, and any other healthcare professional involved in advising and caring for women who present for emergency contraception. Typical settings where this guidance would be relevant include pharmacies, general practice, accident and emergency departments and sexual health clinics.

Emergency Contraception also includes practical decision making guides to help healthcare professionals in their decision making around using the copper intrauterine device or oral emergency contraception and decision making around the use of oral emergency contraception - levonorgestrel (LNG-EC) or ulipristal acetate (UPA-EC).

In conjunction with the launch of this guideline, FSRH is running a webinar on 22^nd March 2017 to help healthcare professionals gain a deeper understanding of how Emergency Contraception will impact and inform best practice. For more information on the Emergency Contraception webinar and details of how to register click here. FSRH members can attend this webinar for free and non-members can pay to access.

Dr Asha Kasliwal, FSRH President, commented:

“This new guideline aims to give more clarity and evidence-based guidance to UK healthcare professionals involved in advising and caring for women who present for emergency contraception.

Recommendations span a broad range of care settings from specialist sexual and reproductive healthcare services, to general practice and community pharmacy to ensure that irrespective of where women access emergency contraception they are given consistent, evidence-based advice on the most effective and suitable method of emergency contraception for them.

The guideline’s emphasis on the efficacy of the copper intrauterine device as emergency contraception and ongoing contraception reinforces existing NICE guidance on this issue and we hope its publication will further awareness amongst healthcare professionals and women alike that the copper IUD is the most effective form of emergency contraception.”

Read the guideline and recommendations in full.

Read more about the FSRH webinar on Emergency Contraception