Emergency Contraception: Are Nursing Students Ready to Counsel?
"A look into the knowledge gaps and attitudes surrounding emergency contraception among future healthcare providers."
The landscape of sexual health is constantly evolving, with rates of sexual activity beginning earlier and earlier. According to a 2008 report by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, there was a notable increase in the number of sexually active women aged 15-19 between 1996 and 2006. This trend heightens the risk of reproductive events such as pregnancy and STIs.
Emergency contraception (EC), often called the "morning-after pill," emerged as a crucial tool. First introduced in Hungary, China, and Sweden between 1970 and 1984, EC offers a way to prevent unwanted pregnancies after unprotected sex, failed contraception, or sexual assault. These methods use hormones to prevent or delay fertilization. They can affect sperm and egg transport, alter cervical mucus, and interfere with sperm function.
However, despite its availability and proven efficacy, EC use remains limited in some areas, including Brazil. Barriers include lack of knowledge, healthcare provider concerns, prescription requirements, and moral or cultural beliefs. These factors highlight the need for more research to understand current perceptions and inform effective educational strategies.
Student Knowledge and Access
Research has examined emergency contraception knowledge and use among college women, including an exploratory web-based survey of 2,007 participants. A 2026 study of female students emphasized the continuing need for clear, reliable information about emergency and regular contraception. Research on female college students has also examined their knowledge, perceptions, and use of emergency contraception since its over-the-counter availability. The NCSBN's 2023–2024 National Nursing Education Database provides aggregate information about nursing-program demographics and evidence-based quality indicators, offering context for understanding nursing education programs.
Methods, Timing, and Knowledge Gaps
The CDC identifies four emergency contraception options available in the United States: the copper intrauterine device and three types of emergency contraceptive pills. Their effectiveness varies according to the method and the timing of administration. A study of nurse practitioner students examined their knowledge of emergency contraception, which is defined as a method used after intercourse to prevent pregnancy. Research among university students in Spain likewise examined emergency contraceptive pill experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and awareness, while noting that evidence was insufficient to define sex-education content for young people.
From Postcoital Method to Modern Options
Emergency contraception has also been called a postcoital method and is used after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy, according to the history of Plan B. Historical accounts describe emergency contraception discussions becoming more visible during the 1990s through medical journals, popular magazines, television news, and MTV. Methods intended to prevent conception after coitus have been documented as far back as ancient Roman times. More recent historical analysis has considered expanding emergency contraception to include the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device, which could provide both emergency and long-term contraception.
What Do Nursing Students Know About Emergency Contraception?
A recent study published in the Revista Gaúcha de Enfermagem explored the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students toward emergency contraception. The researchers aimed to understand how well-prepared these future healthcare professionals were to counsel patients about EC.
- High Awareness: Most students (96%) had heard of EC.
- Understanding of Key Facts: A large percentage knew the correct timing for use and indications (86%-96%).
- Misconceptions Persist: Many students lacked understanding regarding the mechanism of action, side effects, and access to EC (correct answers below 50%).
- EC is not 100% safe
- EC is not for routine use
- It is most effective when used as soon as possible after intercourse
- EC is an option to prevent unwanted pregnancy in the event of sexual violence
- EC is indicated in the event that a male or female condom breaks
Positive Attitudes, Uneven Knowledge
A study of nursing students in Spain reported that 100% had heard of emergency contraceptive pills and that students held a positive attitude toward them. A separate study of nursing students, cited as Veloso et al. (2014), focused on emergency contraception knowledge and attitudes. Research involving the PUMHS University population found that 75.36% expressed a positive attitude toward emergency contraception, but concluded that information about its different aspects was inadequate. A 2026 report specifically described nursing students' awareness and experiences of emergency contraception pills in north India.
Favorable Views Do Not Ensure Knowledge
A university survey found favorable student attitudes toward emergency contraceptive pills but poor knowledge levels. The same study reported that knowledge and attitude scores were not influenced by gender. A 2025 investigation among female university students examined the prevalence and contributing factors of emergency-contraceptive misuse, along with associated health implications. Together, these studies frame positive attitudes and access as insufficient by themselves when knowledge or appropriate use remains limited.
Choices, Beliefs, and Counseling Points
A study of 510 sexually active women attending family-planning clinics in London and Oxfordshire examined knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and sources of information about emergency contraception. Another source argues that widespread availability could help reduce the estimated 50 million abortions carried out annually and help protect women's lives and health. A comparison chart presents contraceptive methods side by side, including IUDs, implants, hormonal methods, barrier methods, sterilization, and fertility-awareness methods. It compares how methods work, typical-use effectiveness, STI protection, and key nursing teaching points.
The Need for Comprehensive Education
The study highlights the urgent need for better education about emergency contraception in schools and universities. By addressing knowledge gaps and misconceptions, we can empower future healthcare professionals to provide accurate, evidence-based information to their patients. This will lead to more informed decisions and improved reproductive health outcomes.
A Continuing Public-Health Priority
A review of the changing emergency-contraception landscape identifies reducing unintended pregnancies as a persistent challenge. It connects that challenge with Healthy People 2030, which treats reducing unintended pregnancy as a key health priority. The review's focus on changing trends suggests that emergency contraception remains an evolving area for clinical practice, education, and public-health planning.
Access Through Trusted and Varied Sources
A Pathfinder synthesis report states that country case studies and recommendations can guide evidence-based integration of emergency contraceptive pills into health systems and help make access a reality for more women worldwide. Case studies from six countries conclude that emergency contraception should be available through varied sources, including general practitioners, family doctors, and family-planning clinics that may offer greater anonymity. Research among female nursing students has examined knowledge, perceptions, and use through structured questionnaires and statistical analyses. In nursing education, an unfolding IUD emergency-contraception case study was designed as a group learning activity in a Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family course.