Objective Unintended pregnancy is common and disproportionately occurs among low-income women. We conducted a qualitative study with low-income women to better typologize pregnancy intention, understand the relationship between pregnancy intention and contraceptive use, and identify the contextual factors that shape pregnancy intention and contraceptive behavior. Study design Semi-structured interviews were conducted with low-income, African-American and white women aged 18–45 recruited from reproductive health clinics in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to explore factors that influence women’s pregnancy-related behaviors. Narratives were analyzed using content analysis and the constant comparison method. Results Among the 66 participants (36 African-American and 30 white), we identified several factors that may impede our public health goal of increasing the proportion of pregnancies that are consciously desired and planned. First, women do not always perceive that they have reproductive control and therefore do not necessarily formulate clear pregnancy intentions. Second, the benefits of a planned pregnancy may not be evident. Third, because preconception intention and planning do not necessarily occur, decisions about the acceptability of a pregnancy are often determined after the pregnancy has already occurred. Finally, even when women express a desire to avoid pregnancy, their contraceptive behaviors are not necessarily congruent with their desires. We also identified several clinically relevant and potentially modifiable factors that help to explain this intention-behavior discrepancy, including women’s perceptions of low fecundity and their experiences with male partner contraceptive sabotage. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the current conceptual framework that views pregnancy-related behaviors from a strict planned behavior perspective may be limited, particularly among low-income populations.
Background Unintended pregnancy is common and disproportionately occurs among low-income and African American (AA) women. Male partners may influence women’s risk of unintended pregnancy through reproductive coercion, although studies have not assessed whether racial differences in reproductive coercion impact AA women’s disparate risk for unintended pregnancy. We sought to describe women’s experiences with pregnancy-promoting behaviors by male partners and explore differences in such experiences by race. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with low-income, AA and white women aged 18–45 recruited from reproductive health clinics in Western Pennsylvania to explore contextual factors that shape women’s contraceptive behaviors. Narratives were analyzed using content analysis and the constant comparison method. Findings Among the 66 participants (36 AA and 30 white), 25 (38%) described experiences with male partner reproductive coercion. Narratives provided accounts of contraceptive sabotage, verbal pressure to promote pregnancy and specific pregnancy outcomes, and potential motives behind these behaviors. AA women in the sample reported experiences of reproductive coercion more often than white women (53% and 20%, respectively). AA women were also more likely than white women to attribute a current or prior pregnancy to reproductive coercion. AA women identified relationship transiency and impending incarceration as potential motivations for men to secure a connection with a female partner via pregnancy. Conclusions Our findings suggest that reproductive coercion may be a factor contributing to disparities in unintended pregnancy. More research, including population-level studies, is needed to determine the impact of reproductive coercion on unintended pregnancy and to understand the social and structural factors associated with pregnancy-promoting behaviors.
BACKGROUND: African-American women have had higher rates of female sterilization compared to white women since its emergence as a contraceptive method. The reasons underlying this observed racial difference are unknown. OBJECTIVES:The goals of this study were to (1) explore what factors shape black and white women's decisions about tubal sterilization as a contraceptive method and (2) generate hypotheses about the relationship of race to the decision-making process. DESIGN:We conducted six focus groups stratified by tubal sterilization status and race. During each of the audio-recorded sessions, participants were asked to discuss reasons that women choose sterilization as a contraceptive method. PARTICIPANTS:The participants of the study were 24 African-American women and 14 white women.APPROACH: Transcripts of the sessions were qualitatively analyzed with particular attention to factors that might be unique to each of the two racial groups. RESULTS:Personal factors shaped black and white women's decisions regarding tubal sterilization. Preference for a convenient, highly effective contraceptive method was the main reason to get a tubal sterilization for women of both racial groups. We also identified socio-cultural differences that might explain why black women are more likely than white women to choose tubal sterilization over other contraceptive methods. An unanticipated, but clinically important, finding was that women often reported feeling that their doctors and the health-care system served as barriers to obtaining the desired procedure.CONCLUSION: Socio-cultural differences may help explain why black and white women choose different contraceptive methods.
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