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Provision of emergency contraception is cost-effective in Canada
Last Updated: 2001-04-30 17:09:20 EDT (Reuters Health)
WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) - Whether emergency contraception is provided ahead of time or when the emergency occurs, it is a cost-saving intervention, according to data from a Canadian study.
Dr. James Trussell, of Princeton University in New Jersey, and associates estimate that the average cost of an unintended pregnancy, in Canadian dollars, is $1289, taking into account the costs of ectopic pregnancies, induced and spontaneous abortion, and birth.
In a separate model, assuming that pregnancies prevented were timing failures, and that pregnancy would be intentional 2 years later, the estimated average cost of an unintended pregnancy was $735, the investigators report in the May issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Each dollar spent on advance provision of Preven would save $2.35 in the averted-birth model and $1.34 in the delayed-birth model. Even for the more expensive progestin-only product, Plan B, "our conclusion was that [emergency contraception is] going to be cost effective," Dr. Trussell told Reuters Health.
"Qualitatively, the results are similar to those we've found in the US," Dr. Trussell added, "although in the US everything is more expensive, both unintended pregnancy and cost of services and pills."
He said that in both the US and Canada, the "clinical bottleneck" is that women don't know to ask for emergency contraception. "We have the potential to reduce the incidence of pregnancy and the consequent need for abortion by half, but that's not going to happen unless women know about it," Dr. Trussell emphasized.
Obstet Gynecol 2001;97:789-793.
-Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700
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Copyright 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters Limited content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent of Reuters Limited. Reuters Limited shall not be liable for any error or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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