PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kelly Ladin L'Engle
AU  - Laura Hinson
AU  - Dawn Chin-Quee
TI  - “I love my ECPs”: challenges to bridging emergency contraceptive users to more effective contraceptive methods in Ghana
AID  - 10.1136/jfprhc-2011-0077
DP  - 2011 Jul 01
TA  - Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care
PG  - 146--151
VI  - 37
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/37/3/146.short
4100  - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/37/3/146.full
SO  - J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care2011 Jul 01; 37
AB  - Background and methods Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are becoming more popular, yet little is known about the contraceptive preferences of women who take ECPs. Women purchasing ECPs were recruited from pharmacies in Accra, Ghana. A total of 24 semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted in May 2008. Results Nearly all participants preferred ECPs to other contraceptive methods. Although fear of side effects from oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), intrauterine devices and injectables were deterrents to use of those methods, side effects from ECPs were acceptable to this small and highly self-selected group of ECP users. Participants had little knowledge about how other contraceptive methods work and expressed a strong distrust and dislike of condoms. Discussion and conclusion Study participants loved their ECPs, despite minor discomforts like bleeding, and most had no concerns about repeated use, though these findings may not apply to women outside Accra or women who obtain ECPs from non-pharmacy settings. Future interventions should work to dispel myths about OCPs, condoms and other modern methods, and focus on basic contraception education.