Emergency contraception in Zambia: Setting a new agenda for research and action

This report summarizes the activities and findings of the first phase of the operations research study, “Enhancing Access to Family Planning Services through the Introduction of Emergency Contraception.” Launched in September 1997, the study was designed to explore a broad range of issues relating to emergency contraception within a developing country context. With financial and technical support from the United States Agency for International Development, the World Health Organization, the Canadian Public Health Association, and the British Department for International Development (DFID), the study consists of an initial exploratory exercise and a subsequent research phase. The report is divided into four sections. The first recounts the events and circumstances leading to development of the study and describes the roles of participating organizations. The second follows with a summary of the outputs and principal data collection activities during Phase One. The third details the research findings of Phase One and outlines implications for future programmatic activities. The fourth describes results of a national workshop held on March 10, 1998, to disseminate the results of Phase One data collection activities and identify areas for future research and action