Towards more eff ective emergency contraception

1report a randomised single-blind non-inferiority multicentre trial involving an analysis of nearly 2000 women who requested emergency contraception within 5 days of unprotected sexual intercourse. The investigators compared the effi cacy and side-eff ects of levonorgestrel, the widely marketed emergency contraceptive, and ulipristal acetate, a selective progesteronereceptor modulator, recently licensed for emergency contraception in Europe. Both treatments decreased the pregnancy rate: from an expected 5·5% to 1·8% in the ulipristal group and from 5·4% to 2·6% in the levonorgestrel group. High eff ectiveness is an important requirement for an ideal emergency contraceptive and research to improve its effi cacy is most welcome. Along with previous research, 2 today’s study shows that