The context of unintended pregnancy among married women in the USA
Open Access
- 1 July 2010
- journal article
- Published by BMJ in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health
- Vol. 36 (3), 150-158
- https://doi.org/10.1783/147118910791749380
Abstract
Background and methodology Unintended pregnancy is a concern in the USA due to its association with adverse physical, mental, social and economic outcomes. Few studies have examined this issue among married women from a social and contextual perspective. This study targeted married women to examine factors associated with unintended pregnancy using the ecological model of health promotion that focuses attention on both individual and social environmental factors. Data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) were merged with NSFG contextual files to examine the major predictive factors. Results Multilevel logistic regression modelling revealed that married women of lower socioeconomic status, higher parity, who lived in communities with a high rate of marital dissolution had a higher probability of an unintended pregnancy. Women reported that their husbands were likely to concur with the unintended designation of the pregnancy. Discussion and conclusions This study utilised a unique perspective to examine contextual factors related to unintended pregnancy among married women. The results support the need to focus on the couple as a unit for prevention efforts. Social policies to enhance access to family planning services are necessary to improve outcomes and prevent unintended pregnancies.This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Measuring the effects of unintended pregnancy on women's quality of lifeContraception, 2008
- Unintended Pregnancy and Prenatal Behaviors Among Urban, Black Women in Baltimore, Maryland: The Baltimore Preterm Birth StudyAnnals of Epidemiology, 2008
- Pregnancy Intention and Preterm Birth: Differential Associations Among a Diverse Population of WomenPerspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2008
- Unintended Childbearing and Knowledge of Emergency Contraception in a Population-Based Survey of Postpartum WomenMaternal and Child Health Journal, 2007
- Disparities in Rates of Unintended Pregnancy In the United States, 1994 and 2001Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2006
- Unintended pregnancy in a commercially insured population.Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2002
- The stability of pregnancy intentions and pregnancy-related maternal behaviors.Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2000
- Women Exposed to Childhood Abuse Have Elevated Odds of Unintended First Pregnancy as AdultsFamily Planning Perspectives, 2000
- Ecological Foundations of Health PromotionAmerican Journal of Health Promotion, 1996
- An Ecological Perspective on Health Promotion ProgramsHealth Education Quarterly, 1988