Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) prevents unwanted pregnancies if taken within 120 h after unprotected sexual intercourse. Since 4th November, 2002, women in Switzerland have had access to the “morning after pill” without prescription in pharmacies. The dispensation is categorised „pharmacist only“ and must be protocolled. We evaluated EHC user profiles, their contraceptive methods, sexual behaviour and the time span between sexual intercourse and request for EHC from pharmacies and compared the data immediately, three and fifteen years after EHC access without prescription had been authorised. We also compared the use of EHC in Switzerland before and after introduction of Ulipristalacetat, the new EHC agent.

Leader: PD Dr. Isabelle Arnet & Esther Spinatsch