Special Projects

The Copper IUD-as-EC

From August 2013 to May 2014 and in partnership with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, NFPRHA conducted a pilot to learn about the challenges facing family planning health centers that wish to offer the copper IUD as emergency contraception (EC) and examine strategies to overcome those challenges. Clinical literature shows that the copper IUD-as-EC is 10 times as effective as oral levonorgestrel pills or ulipristal acetate. If inserted within five days after unprotected intercourse, the copper IUD can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 99.9%.

The following NFPRHA members were selected to pilot the practice amd are continuing to offer the copper IUD to all emergency contraception-seeking patients:

• The Women's Care Center of Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)
• Tri-City Health Center (Fremont, CA)
• Health Quarters (Beverly, MA)
• Greene County Family Planning (Catskill, NY)
• Vista Community Clinic (Vista, CA)

Over the course of the project 938 patients sought emergency contraception at the five grantees. Of these, 64 patients accepted the copper IUD as their method of emergency contraception.

For more information about the Copper IUD-as-EC project, contact Amanda Kimber at akimber@nfprha.org.