Advance Provision of Postpartum Emergency Contraception and Its Effects on Reproductive Autonomy

This project will be a prospective observational study, using a mixed-methods design to further explore the impact of emergency contraception (EC) use on postpartum patients' feelings of reproductive autonomy. The investigators will aim to recruit 75 participants, with an expected 40-50 participants retained at 6 months, and 15-20 of those participants choosing to participate in an in-depth interview at 6 months. Participants will first be screened for eligibility on chart review. If any inclusion/exclusion criteria remain unclear in the medical record, these participants will still be approached to complete the eligibility survey if they are interested in participating in the study. All potential participants will confirm their contraceptive method prior to enrolling in the study. Participants who are undecided on their postpartum contraceptive plan will not meet inclusion criteria for the study. This is to avoid possible coercion or influence by the research study on patients' contraceptive choices.

If they choose to enroll in the study, they will undergo an informed consent and a baseline survey comprised of standard demographic questions, questions on reproductive and contraceptive history, knowledge on EC, and questions on reproductive autonomy. This survey will be designed to take ~10 minutes to complete. Participants will undergo standardized counseling on postpartum contraception. This counseling will include 1) best-practice recommendation for high-efficacy postpartum contraception, 2) recommendation for appropriate pregnancy spacing, 3) efficacy of contraceptive methods, and 4) types of EC and detailed instructions for use. They will receive a package of three doses of UPA prior to being discharged home along with educational material for EC. If participants need additional doses of EC, they would be able to call the clinic for additional doses. Participants will then complete surveys at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. In the 6-week survey, if they have used EC by that time, they will be invited to participate in a brief, 20-30 minute interview that will focus on their experience, comfort, and facilitators/barriers to their most recent EC use. In the 6-month survey, the participant will be invited to participate in an in-depth interview designed to further explore participant experiences with EC. The qualitative interview is expected to last ~1 hour and will discuss themes around EC use, acceptability, autonomy, contraceptive choice.

Inclusion criteria

• 16-40 years of age
• English-speaking
• In a sexual relationship with possibility of pregnancy
• Delivered a live infant
• Desire to delay pregnancy for at least a year
• A patient at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Choosing no postpartum contraceptive method or a lower efficacy method: condoms, female condoms, diaphragm/cervical cap/sponge, fertility awareness method

Exclusion criteria

• Allergy to UPA
• Those who have had tubal sterilization
• Those who conceived via assisted reproductive technology
• Those with inability to follow up
• Those taking drugs that interact with UPA (CYP3A4 inducers, abametapir, felbamate, fexinidazole, fusidic acid, griseofulvin, oxcarbazepine, progestins, topiramate)