OBJECTIVE: To report the results of the Forum "Adolescence and Emergency Contraception". The objectives of this Forum were to enlighten and to bring ethical and technical support to the prescription of emergency contraception through the analysis of three main points: the profile of the adolescent clientele; the ethical issues involved in the emergency contraception; the risks and efficiency of this method. DATA SOURCES: Discussion based on current literature on the theme in the Forum held in 2005, which included pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, members of bioethics committees, members of the Federal Council of Medicine, delegates from the Ministry of Health, lawyers and judges. DATA SYNTHESIS: Adolescence includes change, transformation and experimenting, all of which lead to vulnerability and risk. Some of these are related to unoriented or unthought sexuality, whose consequences are well known: early pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases, among which are HPV and HIV infections. Therefore, the medical assistance to adolescents must be focused on prevention, in which sexual education includes contraception orientation, particularly in emergency situations. CONCLUSIONS: This review presents the conclusions that were achieved during the meeting. Its main consequence was a resolution by the Federal Council of Medicine stating that emergency contraception is not abortive and may be used at any stage of the reproductive life.
adolescent; bioethics; pregnancy in adolescence; risk; contraception, postcoital