Access to Postabortion Contraception: ACOG Committee Opinion, Number 833.

ABSTRACT: All contraceptive methods are safe and effective when provided immediately after abortion procedures and when otherwise medically appropriate for a patient. Providing a contraceptive method immediately after an induced or spontaneous abortion can help individuals achieve their desired reproductive outcomes and minimize the burden of multiple appointments. Contraceptive counseling and methods should be made available to all patients who experience induced or spontaneous abortion, and the patient's right to decline or postpone this care should be respected. Recognizing the individual barriers that may exist for each patient is important to providing patient-centered care. It also is important to understand the history of reproductive rights abuses, including contraceptive coercion and forced sterilization, in the United States. Ultimately, clinicians should focus on providing access to counseling and, ideally, providing all methods of contraception, while recognizing that each patient is unique.