Contraceptive patterns after use of emergency contraception among female undergraduate students in Brazil

Objective: The aim of our study was to describe contraceptive patterns 30 days after use of emergency contraception (EC) among female undergraduate students in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: This study was part of a larger project conducted in 2015 among 1679 female students aged 18–24 enrolled at the University of São Paulo. Analysis was restricted to the 916 students who reported lifetime use of EC. Logistic regression models were used to examine factors related to the use of contraception within the 30 day period following the last use of EC, changes in contraceptive behaviour before and after EC use, and gaps in contraceptive use within 30 days after EC use. Results: Most women (75.4%) used contraception after accessing EC; 92.9% who used contraception prior to EC exposure resumed use of contraception afterwards, compared with 40.7% who did not use contraception prior to EC exposure. Only 6.3% of women switched to a less effective contraceptive method after EC use. Few women (7.5%) reported post-EC gaps in contraception. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that EC may serve as a potential precursor to regular contraception among undergraduates in Brazil, with few women reporting contraceptive gaps after EC use. These patterns may contribute to reducing the risk of unintended pregnancy in this population.