The INFO Project Blog

Laili Irani, a program specialist at the INFO Project, was recently tasked with researching new findings in reproductive health that came out since the publication of Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers. After going through hundreds of pages of research she had this to say about a recently released literature synthesis from the Cochrane Review.

One of the best sythesis I found on emergency contraception–a hot topic in reproductive health–was the recently published literature review from the Cochrane Review.

The review showed that mifepristone and levonorgestrel are very effective methods of emergency contraception with few adverse effects. Emergency contraception (EC) is a method of preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. 81 randomized controlled clinical trials with 45,842 women were included in the Cochrane Review summary, with most trials conducted in China (70 out of 81 studies). The report notes that copper intrauterine devices can also be used 5 days after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy , along with providing ongoing protection against future pregnancy if left in place.

The New Findings issue of Population Reports will be published early next month. This report will cover new research and program findings on each of the contraceptive methods, with specific emphasis on cutting-edge topics such as spermicidal and HIV risk, and hormonal contraception and cervical cancer risk. It will help readers interpret some of the recent research that has drawn widespread attention by providing the context and background for the findings. 

The report was developed using input from a survey we conducted on “neglected” findings in reproductive health research.

Read Laili’s full post on the EC review at the Elements of Family Planning Success network (become a member to read others’ blogs).