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Tracy Hampton, PhD

JAMA. 2007;297:2067-2068.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Critics of emergency contraception have cautioned that advance access to Plan B and similar medications could promote riskier sexual behavior, but a recent review reveals that data fail to support that fear (Polis CB et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd005497.pub2 [published online April 18, 2007]).

Proponents of advance access are not necessarily celebrating the review's findings, that overall, the frequency of unplanned pregnancy was similar whether women had emergency contraception on hand before unprotected sex or not.

A recent review found that advance access to emergency contraception does not promote riskier sexual behaviors or reduce unintended pregnancies at the population level. (Photo credit: V. Burger/Phanie/http://www.sciencesource.com)

The review complements previous studies that have found similar results, and experts doubt that advance availability, which may be helpful for individual women, will be associated with a population-level health benefit (Raymond EG et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;109:181-188). "It . . . [Full Text of this Article]