RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Comparison of uptake of long-acting reversible contraception after abortion from a hospital or a community sexual and reproductive healthcare setting: an observational study
JF Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care
JO J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP 31
OP 36
DO 10.1136/jfprhc-2015-101216
VO 43
IS 1
A1 Sharon T Cameron
A1 Anna Glasier
A1 Anne Johnstone
YR 2017
UL http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/43/1/31.abstract
AB Background Uptake of the most effective long-acting reversible methods of contraception (LARC) immediately after abortion has been shown to reduce a woman's risk of further abortion. We aimed to compare the uptake of LARC at abortion services from a hospital department of obstetrics and gynaecology and a specialist contraceptive setting of a community sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service within the same city.Methods Retrospective database review of women (n=2473) requesting abortion who were assessed at either a community SRH service or a hospital department of obstetrics and gynaecology, in the same UK city over a period of 1 year. The main outcome measures were immediate post-abortal uptake of LARC from each site.Results A higher proportion of women assessed at the SRH service received LARC after abortion [50.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47–0.53%] compared to those attending the hospital site (39.2%; 95% CI 0.36–0.42%; p<0.0001). Amongst women having an outpatient early medical abortion, LARC uptake at the SRH was twice that of the hospital setting (48.4% vs 23.3%; p<0.0001).Conclusions Higher uptake of immediate post-abortal LARC was observed amongst women who were assessed at the specialist contraceptive service in the community SRH setting compared to the hospital setting. Further research is required to determine the reasons for these observations since all abortion services should provide the same high-quality contraceptive service to women undergoing abortion.