Gross sales of emergency contraception are estimated to rise by round 10% within the US within the week after the New Yr vacation, suggesting that this era is related to elevated dangers of unprotected intercourse in contrast with different holidays, finds a examine revealed within the Christmas situation of The BMJ.

Different holidays akin to Valentine’s Day and Independence Day had been additionally related to a rise in gross sales, however to a lesser extent.

Though this annual spike in gross sales might sound humorous, the researchers level out that as many US states have elevated restrictions on abortion “it’s indicative of unmet contraceptive want that requires additional consideration.”

New Yr’s Eve celebrations are related to elevated sexual exercise, which is much less more likely to be protected attributable to elevated alcohol consumption. New Yr’s Eve can also be linked to increased charges of sexual assault and restricted entry to different types of contraception attributable to restricted opening hours of clinics, medical workplaces and retailers.

To evaluate gross sales of emergency contraception following the New Yr vacation, the researchers analysed retail scan knowledge for levonorgestrel, a drugs which has been obtainable over-the-counter with no age restrictions since 2013.

Regardless of its widespread nickname because the “morning after capsule,” levonorgestrel is efficient when taken inside 96, and probably 120, hours after unprotected intercourse although is extra more likely to work the earlier it’s taken. This makes well timed entry of essential significance.

They targeted on gross sales within the week following New Yr’s Eve and New Yr’s Day from 2016 to 2022 in US shops together with grocery shops, drug shops, mass merchandisers, membership shops, greenback shops, and navy retailers.

To account for potential adjustments within the inhabitants prone to being pregnant, weekly gross sales had been divided by the dimensions of the feminine inhabitants aged 15 to 44 years outdated.

General, gross sales of levonorgestrel elevated by 0.63 models per 1,000 ladies aged 15 to 44 years outdated within the week after New Yr’s Eve. Based mostly on inhabitants estimates in 2022, this equated to virtually 41,000 extra capsules offered that yr.

The researchers additionally thought of different holidays which can be related to increased unprotected sexual exercise, together with Valentine’s Day, Independence Day and St Patrick’s Day.

Valentine’s Day was related to a rise in gross sales about half of the dimensions of the New Yr’s improve: 0.31 models per 1000 ladies. US Independence Day was related to a 0.20 improve in gross sales and St Patrick’s Day was related to 0.14 improve.

Holidays akin to Mom’s Day, Father’s Day and Easter, weren’t related to a rise in gross sales.

The researchers level to some limitations. For instance, emergency contraception gross sales usually are not synonymous with use and the info don’t embody emergency contraception acquired by medical clinics, unbiased pharmacies and on-line gross sales. Variations in how and which holidays are celebrated and the way reproductive healthcare is accessed may restrict the generalizability of the findings to different settings, they add.

However, they are saying their outcomes recommend that the character of sure celebrations would possibly make them vital public well being targets they usually recommend that “focusing on behavioral dangers, prevention methods to mitigate sexual violence, and bettering entry to contraception round holidays could restrict the dangers related to unprotected vaginal intercourse.”

“Greater than ever, emergency contraception is a critically vital possibility for folks within the US, notably these residing in areas with bans or extreme restrictions on abortion,” they write.

“Future work will discover how different dynamics at play within the US context, together with state abortion restrictions, have an effect on emergency contraception buying conduct and indicate potential public well being interventions to offer contraceptive care to those that want it essentially the most.”