Los Angeles - A new report, "FROM SECRET TO SHELF: HOW COLLABORATION IS BRINGING EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION TO WOMEN," details the innovative process U.S. foundations and advocacy organizations pursued to make available to women a reproductive option that many have called the nation's "best kept secret." This option is emergency contraception, commonly known as the "morning after pill." The report was compiled by the Pacific Institute for Women's Health in collaboration with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. "From Secret to Shelf" describes an effective model for ongoing collaboration to provide women worldwide an even greater range of reproductive choices.

"This is a story of how people worked together, of new partnerships, of greater collaboration among different people within the health care and advocacy communities with one goal in mind - to broaden reproductive choice worldwide," said Sarah Clark, Director of Population Program, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Although Emergency Contraception had been used on a few college campuses and in some rape crisis centers since the 1970’s, by the beginning of the 1990s, it still remained largely a secret. Information about this method was kept from most women in the U.S. and made available only to those who happened to have access to a small number of progressive doctors. By the end of the '90s, all stakeholders were behind the method: the FDA had approved emergency contraception, leading medical authorities had sanctioned and promoted its use and two dedicated products were on the market.

Emergency Contraception is an important way to give women everywhere control over their own bodies and lives by allowing them to manage their fertility. More than half of the 3.5 million pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended, with roughly half of these (1.7 million) resulting from contraceptive failure. Emergency contraception, which can be used up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, can spare many women the anxieties and complications of unintended pregnancy. Similarly, the method can prevent much pain and even injury to women in developing countries where high rates of unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions are prevalent. Due to this major cooperative effort, a generation of American women is learning about this option and vigorous work continues to get this knowledge to women and clinicians all over the world.

"Never again will there be a whole generation of American women who don't know about this important contraceptive option," said Francine Coeytaux, 
Project Director and co-author of the report.

"These little pills can give women a big second chance and it is our hope that every woman who needs them will have them in her medicine cabinet -- just in case."

 

"FROM SECRET TO SHELF" is authored by Barbara Pillsbury, PhD, Francine Coeytaux, MPH, and Andrea Johnston, MPH of the Pacific Institute for Women’s Health. For further information or a copy of this report please contact Rochelle Fabb, Director of Communications at 310-842-6828 x209 or rfabb@piwh.org

The Pacific Institute for Women's Health is a non-profit organization comprised of over 60 national and international associates dedicated to improving the health and well being of women worldwide through applied research, advocacy, community involvement, consultation and training.

 

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