Emergency contraception: can we benefit from lessons learned?

Professional paper - Review paper

• Title (croatian): Hitna kontracepcija: možemo li što naučiti?
• Author: Marina Šprem Goldštajn
• Author: Dinka Pavičić Baldani
• Author: Hrvoje Vrčić
• Author: Slavko Orešković
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

The aim of the paper was to evaluate current emergency contraception (EC) methods and policies in order to implement lessons learned and maximize potential population impact while introducing dedicated EC pills in Croatia. Literature search for potential reasons for EC failing to show positive population impact and detecting actionable points to be implemented in national guidelines. Six potential reasons for ECs failure to show population impact were evaluated and four actionable points were detected: low use of EC compared to the numbers of risk events, low awareness on EC in general population, differences in efficacy of EC methods and EC vailability. In order to ensure EC's population impact in Croatia it is of a critical relevance to establish continuous education programs for population of women at risk. When recommending an EC method, superior efficacy must be a key decision-making criteria therefore cooper IUD and ulipristal acetate should be our primary options. Counseling is a critical step to ensure maximal efficacy of the EC method, but also to encourage future use of regular contraceptives. Finally, national ECP dispension protocol is needed to close the loop from effective women screening, prompt yet appropriate ECP administration/dispensing towards structured follow up after EC pills intake.

Abstract (croatian)

Cilj ovog rada je evaluirati dosadašnje metode hitne kontracepcije (HK) kako bi implementirali dosadašnje stečeno
znanje i povećali udio korisnica HK u Hrvatskoj. Prikazali smo dosadašnja istraživanja o razlozima neuspjeha primjene
HK s ciljem detekcije mjera u nacionalnim preporukama za korištenje HK. U radu je prikazano šest potencijalnih
razloga neuspjeha HK u postizanju populacijskog učinka, te četiri moguće točke akcije. To su mala stopa korištenja HK
u usporedbi s mogućim rizičnim događanjima, nizak stupanj znanja o HK u općoj populaciji, razlike u efikasnosti i
dostupnosti pojedinih metoda HK. S ciljem postizanja većeg broja korisnica HK u Hrvatskoj nužno je započeti s kontinuiranim
edukacijskim programima posebice za žene koje spadaju u rizičnu skupinu. Preporuke za korištenje HK se
moraju temeljiti na boljoj djelotvornosti i sigurnosti preparata, pa se kao primarne opcija za HK preporuča primjena
materničkog bakrenog uloška i ulipristal acetata. Savjetovanje je najvažniji korak u osiguranju maksimalne učinkovitosti
metoda HK, kao i poticanju budućeg korištenja oralnih hormonskih kontraceptiva. Konačno, nacionalni algoritam
za korištenje metoda HK trebao bi obuhvatiti učinkoviti probir žena, promptnu primjenu HK, te adekvatni »follow
up« korisnica HK.

• Keywords (english): Contraception, Postcoital / methods; Contraception, Postcoital / standards; Contraception, Postcoital / statistics & numerical data; Croatia; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Policy; Humans; Risk-Taking
• Language: english
• Publication type: Professional paper - Review paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Collegium Antropologicum
• Numbering: vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 345-349
• p-ISSN: 0350-6134
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:941974
• Publication: 2012-03
• Document URL: https://hrcak.srce.hr/78839
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-03-27 19:28:20