Abigail L. Haynes, RN, BSN, MSN, Doctoral Student, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Box 357262, Seattle, WA 98195-7262, 206-291-4669, alhaynes@u.washington.edu

Homeless women have a rate of pregnancy that is nearly twice the national average, and the number of homeless families in the United States is on the rise. The purpose of this paper is to delineate the factors that affect homeless women’s behavior in choosing to use or not use contraception, and to look at the circumstances surrounding conception in this population. This integrative review examined ten studies written on issues of conception and contraception in homeless women. Some results were found to be consistent across studies. The longer a woman had been homeless, the more likely she was to have an unintended pregnancy, and the less likely she was to use contraception. Minority homeless women and women with high-risk behaviors were the most likely to have an unplanned pregnancy. Homeless women living on the street were more likely to have an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. Lack of knowledge concerning contraceptive methods was viewed as a major obstacle to obtaining and using birth control. Finally, homeless women were often victimized, limiting control over their reproductive choices. Future research should focus on understanding factors that affect contraception in homeless women of all ages and ethic and cultural backgrounds. Future research should study interventions to increase contraception usage in this population. This information can be used by public health practitioners to plan programs that educate homeless women and increase their access to and usage of birth control methods, thus reducing the high rate of unintended pregnancy that occurs in this group.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe the incidence and impact of unplanned pregnancy in homeless women.
• Identify those homeless women who are at highest risk for unplanned pregnancy.
• List factors that contribute to non-use of contracpetion in this population.

Keywords: Family Planning, Homeless

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.