Couples-based family planning services: Is there a need?

The U.S. unintended pregnancy rate is alarmingly high, and reducing it is one of our most important national reproductive health goals. While publicly funded family planning centers have played a key role in increasing contraceptive use, little significant progress in decreasing unintended pregnancy has been made nationally. Research suggests that providing family planning services to male partners can improve contraceptive use; however, the proportion of men using these services is low. In this paper, we explore a promising and relatively new programmatic strategy: couples-based family planning services, designed to foster joint decision-making around contraceptive use.

A nationally representative sample of roughly 2,500 female clients aged 18-44 receiving publicly funded (Title X) family planning services were surveyed in 2009. Administrators at the 47 associated clinics were also surveyed. All surveys were self-administered. Women were asked about their contraceptive use, current partner's involvement in family planning decisions, and interest in and preferences for couples-based services. Administrators were asked about interest, ability and experiences offering couples-focused and partner family planning services. We will report findings from both the survey of women and the survey of clinics. The findings should offer insight into the demand for couples-focused services among women using public clinics. It will also offer program officers and policy-makers potential strategies to meet these needs.