“I Want a Baby, But Not With Him”: Emergency Contraception
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780190066420.003.0020
This chapter addresses the ethical issues surrounding provision of emergency contraception in the emergency department. The highlighted case illustrates a case in which a nulliparous woman presents to the emergency department after consensual intercourse and requests emergency contraception. We review recommendations by national organizations regarding emergency contraception, including for which patients and in what situations emergency contraception should be offered. We discuss the disparity between providers in offering emergency contraception and drivers of this disparity, including patient characteristics and provider personal beliefs and education about emergency contraception. Finally, we discuss the validity of conscientious objection in providing emergency contraception in the framework of the principles of medical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence.