Abstract
Objectives
Men who accompany their female partners at the time of an abortion represent a unique
population who may be amenable to receiving postabortion contraceptive services. We
sought to examine their interest in receiving both counseling and contraception when
available.
Study design
We analyzed a subset of survey data on the experience of accompanying male partners
at the time of an abortion at two urban family planning clinics. We examined their
beliefs about shared contraceptive responsibility, attitudes towards participating
in contraceptive counseling, and willingness to use novel male contraceptives. We
conducted bivariate analyses and logistic regressions for sociodemographic and reproductive
factors linked to these outcomes.
Results
Of 210 male partners surveyed at the time of an abortion, nearly three-quarters characterized
preventing unwanted pregnancy as a shared responsibility, believed in the importance
of attending contraceptive counseling with their female partner, and reported willingness
to use novel male contraceptives. Contraceptive method used when discovering the pregnancy
was neither linked to men's attitudes towards counseling nor interest in using novel
male contraceptives. Individuals between the ages of 25 to 34 (aOR: 2.69; 95%CI: 1.32–5.48),
those with a college education (aOR: 5.49; 95%CI: 1.31–22.94), and those who had never
experienced abortion (aOR: 2.21; 95%CI: 1.08–4.55) exhibited greater interest in using
novel male contraceptives. Black respondents (aOR: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.01–5.38) exhibited
greater interest in receiving contraceptive counseling with their partner and a counselor
following the abortion.
Conclusion
For male partners, abortion may be an opportunity to engage men in contraceptive counseling
and when available, offer new male contraceptives.
Implications
As few men receive comprehensive contraceptive counseling, engaging men when they
accompany their female partners to family planning clinics may be an additional strategy
to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 20, 2022
Accepted:
July 13,
2022
Received in revised form:
July 11,
2022
Received:
April 25,
2022
Footnotes
Publication disclosure: This research has neither been presented nor published in any forum.
Conflicts of interest: BTN provides consultation for Sebela Pharmaceuticals and Myovant Sciences, the products of which are not relevant to this research.
Funding: This research was funded by an anonymous donor through the Society of Family Planning. BTN additionally received grant support for male contraceptive research from NIH/NICHD (L50 HD093098) and the University of Southern California's CTSA grant (UL1TR001855) from NIH. The use of REDCap for data collection in this research was made possible by the University of Chicago Center for Research Informatics’ CTSA grant (UL1TR000430) from NIH.
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