Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine

The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine (대한생식의학회)
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Effectiveness of emergency contraception in women after sexual assault

  • Choi, Dong Seok (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Miran (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University School of Medicine) ;
  • Hwang, Kyung Joo (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Kyoung Mi (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kong, Tae Wook (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University School of Medicine)
  • Received : 2012.06.07
  • Accepted : 2013.07.27
  • Published : 2013.09.30
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Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of emergency single-dose levonorgestrel contraception in preventing unintended pregnancies among woman who visited the emergency department (ED) due to sexual assault (SA). Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review in a university hospital in South Korea. Cases from November 10, 2006 to November 9, 2009 were enrolled. Information from the initial visit to the ED and subsequent follow-up visits to the gynecology outpatient clinic was collected. Results: In total, 1,179 women visited the ED due to SA. Among them, 416 patients had a gynecological examination and 302 patients who received emergency contraception (EC) (1.5 mg single-dose levonorgestrel) at the ED due to SA were enrolled. Ten patients did not return for follow-up examinations. In follow-up visits at the outpatient clinic, two pregnancies were confirmed, which showed the failure rate of the EC to be 0.68%. Conclusion: Single-dose levonorgestrel EC is extremely effective at preventing pregnancy among victims of SA.

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References

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