The Article in Brief

In an inner-city health center, physicians and women patients expressed mixed feelings about emergency contraception (also known as the "morning-after" pill). Most women patients felt that emergency contraception could help them in their lives, however they also had medical and moral concerns about its use. They were divided in their beliefs about whether physicians should provide advance prescriptions for emergency contraception. Most physicians had positive attitudes about emergency contraception, but few routinely talked with their patients about it. Some physicians and patients were concerned that providing advance prescriptions for emergency contraception would encourage women to use it repeatedly.