Sexual partners and emergency contraceptive use: A prospective analysis

Relationship factors have been shown to influence the likelihood of contraceptive use. Less is known about the influence male partners and relationship factors on emergency contraception (EC) use. This prospective study examines the role of male partner and relationship factors in contraceptive method use, unprotected intercourse, and subsequent EC use. A diverse, clinic-based sample of 1,950 women ages 15-24 was surveyed about sexual and reproductive health history, sexual behaviors, sexual partners, and contraceptive use at baseline and six months as part of a randomized controlled trial of EC access. Women with the same main partner across the study period (64%) were less likely to report using a condom every time they had sex (18.2% versus 33.5%, χ2 p<.001), but were also less likely to report unprotected intercourse than women without a main partner (36.3% versus 44.0%, χ2 p<.01), possibly owing to higher use of oral contraception (59.2% versus 41.8%, χ2 p<.001). Despite these differences, similar numbers (~1/3) of women with a main partner and without used EC during the study (p = .7). In multivariate analyses, women with a main partner were no less likely to use EC. Women who had refused unprotected sex were more likely to use EC (OR = 1.3, p<.05), and women who talked with their sexual partner(s) about EC were more than twice as likely to use it (OR = 2.6). These results show that male partner and relationship factors associated with routine contraceptive use are different than those associated with EC use.