Race-Ethnic and Nativity Differences in Contraceptive Method Choice: A Focus on Mexican American Women

Evidence suggests that the reproductive health care system in the United States could better serve minority populations. Hispanic and Black women have lower rates of contraception adoption, higher rates of contraceptive failure, and higher rates of unintended pregnancy than their White counterparts. In order to expand knowledge on minority women's reproductive health, this study investigates race-ethnic differences in the patterns and determinants of contraceptive method selection, focusing on Mexican American women. Using National Survey of Family Growth (2002) data and multinomial logistic regression analyses, I test the influence of socio-economic status, traditional Mexican American values, life course decisions and the context of care on women's decisions to use or not use: barrier methods, non-long acting hormonal methods, long-acting reversible contraceptives [LARCs], traditional methods, sterilization or no contraceptive. Results indicate that race-ethnic groups choose different contraceptives. Mexican-origin women who are foreign-born choose LARCs more often than other women (12.8% as compared to 4.6% of White-non-Hispanics and 7% of Black-non-Hispanics). Mexican Americans born in the United States and Blacks are most similar in terms of their contraceptive method mix. The combined models including socio-economic, cultural, life course and care context variables make all previous differences between White and Mexican-origin contraceptive choice insignificant. The combined socio-cultural model and life course model are the most explanative. Understanding the factors influencing race-ethnic differences in contraceptive method choice can help researchers understand race-ethnic differences in other reproductive health trends (such as unintended pregnancy and abortion), and aid the development of more appropriate family-planning programs.