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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
John S Santelli, MD, MPH1, Roger Rochat, MD2, Kendra Hatfield-timajchy1, Brenda Colley Gilbert, PhD, MSPH1, Kathryn M Curtis, PhD1, Rebecca Cabral, PhD1, Jennifer S. Hirsch, PhD3, Laura Schieve1, Suzanne Zane, DVM4, Paul Stupp4, and Mary Schauer1. (1) Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Mailstop K20, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-5611, jfs8@cdc.gov, (2) Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341, (3) Department of International Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, (4) Division of Reproductive Health, Maternal Health Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy., N.E., Mailstop K-23, Atlanta, GA 30341
Background: Unintended pregnancy is a core concept for describing the fertility of populations and the unmet need for contraception, understanding unwanted childbearing, and preventing adverse health impact. Despite this importance, the role of intentions in fertility decisions and contraceptive use is not well understood.
Methods: As part of a CDC strategic planning effort we reviewed the published and unpublished literature and consulted with experts in the area of reproductive health intentions. Standard electronic bibliographic databases such as Medline were used.
Results: We identified a variety of conceptual and measurement critiques of “unintendedness.” Current measures of unintended pregnancy are reliable and predictive on a population level but not designed to be used at an individual level. Measures of pregnancy intention often fail to incorporate male partner intentions. Unintended pregnancy combines unwanted and mistimed pregnancies although the personal, relationship, social, and political realities of these are quite different. Commonly reported as a dichotomous variable, pregnancy intentions are increasingly seen as multidimensional, encompassing affective, cognitive, cultural, and contextual dimensions.
Conclusions: Clarifying issues of meaning and measurement are fundamental to developing a more complete conceptual framework for understanding unintended pregnancy. Such clarification should advance efforts to improve contraceptive use, prevent unintended pregnancies, and improve the health of women and children.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to
Keywords: Pregnancy, Family Planning
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.