The effect of access to emergency contraceptive pills on women's use of highly effective contraceptives: results from a French national cohort study.

We examined changes in contraceptive behaviors after emergency contraception (EC) pill use. A nationally representative cohort of 2863 French women was studied to identify 272 instances of EC pill use. In 71% of the cases, we found no changes in contraceptive practices from the time of EC pill use to 6 months later: 41% of women continued use of highly effective methods and 30% continued less effective methods. Only 8.4% switched from highly effective to less effective methods.