Contraception
Volume 73, Issue 5 , Pages 520-524, May 2006

Measuring pregnancy intention and its relationship with contraceptive use among women undergoing therapeutic abortion

  • Catherine Schünmann

      Affiliations

    • NHS Lothian Family Planning and Well Woman Services, Edinburgh, EH4 1NL Scotland, UK
    • ,
  • Anna Glasier

      Affiliations

    • NHS Lothian Family Planning and Well Woman Services, Edinburgh, EH4 1NL Scotland, UK
    • School of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA Scotland, UK
    • Department of Public Health and Policy, School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, WC1E 7HT London, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. NHS Lothian Family Planning and Well Woman Services, Edinburgh, EH4 1NL Scotland, UK. Tel.: +44 0131 315 4874; fax: +44 0131 332 2931.

Received 14 October 2005; received in revised form 23 November 2005; accepted 20 December 2005. published online 17 February 2006.

Abstract 

Background

Most pregnancies ending in therapeutic abortion are assumed to have been unintended. In the developed world, most arise from inconsistent or incorrect contraceptive use. Ambivalence about pregnancy might be associated with less effective contraceptive use.

Methods

Three hundred sixteen women undergoing abortion in Scotland were interviewed about contraceptive use at the time of conception. A modified measure of pregnancy intendedness was used to determine ambivalence.

Results

Pregnancy appeared to be clearly unintended for 92% of women. Sixteen percent were not using contraception and had higher intendedness scores (p<.001) than those using a method. Forty-four percent were using contraception inconsistently or incorrectly, almost always condoms or oral contraception, but method choice was not linked to pregnancy intendedness.

Discussion

Women who are ambivalent about the desire for pregnancy are less likely to use contraception. The challenge for reducing abortion rates lies in improving contraceptive use among the much larger group of women who do not intend to get pregnant but use contraception imperfectly.

Keywords: Abortion, Contraception, Unintended pregnancy

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PII: S0010-7824(06)00004-7

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2005.12.009

Contraception
Volume 73, Issue 5 , Pages 520-524, May 2006

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