Oral

Ten years ago, emergency contraception (EC) was little known, and "dedicated" EC products were largely unavailable. Today, registered EC products are available in over 100 countries. The International Consortium for Emergency Contraception (ICEC) brings together over 40 international organizations that work to expand access to EC, an important health intervention as one of a range of family planning methods. Political and in some cases religious opposition to EC can have a major effect on access, so efforts to expand EC access must take political realities into account, and work closely with policymakers. The panels featured in this session represent the work of ICEC members and others from around the world who are developing innovative solutions to overcome challenges to EC access.

Session Objectives: At the end of the session, participants will be able to: * List the political and institutional barriers to expanding access to EC * Explain the importance of increasing access to EC to improve international reproductive health * Describe the need to build political support for policies that expand women's contraceptive choices and increase global access to EC * Discuss country examples of programs to increase access to EC

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing