Couple Pregnancy Intentions and Induced Abortions in the United States

Cha, Susan; Chapman, Derek A.; Wan, Wen; Burton, Candace W.; Woolf, Steven H.; Masho, Saba W.

doi:10.15296/ijwhr.2016.36

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…RC behaviors are associated with numerous health outcomes (in addition to unintended pregnancy) including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression (Alexander et al., 2016; Anderson et al., 2017; Fasula et al., 2018; McCauley, Falb, et al., 2014), abortion (Cha et al., 2016), sexually transmitted infection (Fasula et al., 2018; Jones et al., 2016; Northridge et al., 2017), preterm birth (Liu et al., 2016), and decreased breastfeeding (Wallenborn et al., 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence, and Unintended Pregnancy Among Latina Women

Grace

Decker

Alexander

et al. 2020

J Interpers Violence

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Reproductive coercion (RC) describes a range of behaviors that restrict reproductive autonomy including pregnancy coercion, birth control sabotage, and controlling the outcome of a pregnancy. RC is associated with pregnancies that are mistimed and unwanted (i.e., unintended). Past research demonstrates that Latina women have higher risk for RC and for unintended pregnancy. This cross-sectional descriptive study with Latina women ( n = 482) examined prevalence and risk factors for RC, evaluated the association of RC and unintended pregnancy among women with a past-year pregnancy, and explored use of safety and harm reduction strategies. A tablet survey was administered to women attending a community health center, between the ages of 15 and 45, who self-identified as Latina and who had a dating or sexual partner in the past year. Approximately one in six (16.8%) experienced past-year RC and risk factors included younger age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.91, 1.00], p = .038) and concurrent intimate partner violence (IPV; AOR = 4.47, 95% CI = [2.06, 9.70], p < .001). IPV questions were specific to the partner involved with RC behaviors. For the 185 participants who reported a past-year pregnancy, RC was associated with lower pregnancy planning scores (β = –.27, 95% CI = [–0.41, –0.13], p < .001). The combination of experiencing RC and IPV appeared particularly potent in lowering pregnancy planning scores (β = –.15, 95% CI = [–0.29, 0.00], p = .052). Approximately 10.6% of participants engaged in harm reduction strategies, most commonly ending an unhealthy or abusive relationship (6.1%) and using less detectable methods of contraception so that partners would not find out (3.4%). The study articulates the risk of RC and its intersection with IPV and unintended pregnancy for Latina women. Providers working with racially and ethnically marginalized women have an important role in promoting safety and harm reduction strategies that include offering less detectable methods of contraception and support in leaving unhealthy and abusive relationships.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence, and Unintended Pregnancy Among Latina Women

Grace

Decker

Alexander

et al. 2020

J Interpers Violence

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“…This is in line with previous studies on abortion and partners, showing that couple's pregnancy intentions are highly associated. 37,38…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychometric properties of the Dutch London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy for pregnant people and their partners

Sprenger,

Beumer,

van Ditzhuijzen

et al. 2023

Preprint

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ContextIt is often unclear what constitutes an unplanned or unintended pregnancy, and pregnancy intentions may be multidimensional dynamic. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) measures pregnancy intentions in a manner close to the actual experience. The aim of this study is to establish a Dutch version of the LMUP (LMUP-NL) and to evaluate the reliability and validity of this version for both people who were pregnant and their partners, whatever the pregnancy outcome.MethodsA psychometric evaluation of the LMUP using observational data from the BluePrInt study and the RISE UP study was conducted with 1201 people (839 people who were pregnant and 362 partners), aged between 16-55 years. The LMUP-NL was translated based using the Flemish LMUP and the UK 2020 update, resulting in a version for people who were pregnant and one for partners. Next, the acceptability, readability, reliability, construct and convergent validity were analyzed, combining Principal Component analysis, Confirmatory Factor analysis and Mokken scale analyses.ResultsThe LMUP-NL demonstrated to be readable and reliable (Cronbach’s alpha >0.80 for both versions). Construct validity of both versions was acceptable (CFI>0.93) and Mokken scale analyses indicated a strong scale (H-coefficient:0.68).ConclusionsThe LMUP-NL is reliable and valid for people who were pregnant and their partners, regardless of the pregnancy outcome. It offers researchers and policy makers an instrument suitable to measure pregnancy intention in a multidimensional manner, constituting a closer reflection of the actual experience of pregnancy intentions.

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“…Analogously, with WPA the mother did want to have a child but had an abortion, nonetheless. Examining population data, Cha and colleagues found that “[conceiving couples] with discordant pregnancy intentions were significantly more likely to have induced abortion, even in women who desired pregnancy” [14]. Such a contradiction, Barber et al suggest, “is likely to lead to feelings of powerlessness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More detailed studies of decision-making among women seeking abortions have found that 10% of minor women and 3% of adult women indicated that they sought an abortion primarily because of pressure from others [12], 8% scored high on a measure of “decisional conflict”, and 5% indicated that they “preferred to have the baby” [13]. Research in the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) also suggests that discordant partner intentions may influence the abortion of a first pregnancy otherwise intended by the woman [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Affective and Substance Abuse Disorders Following Abortion by Pregnancy Intention in the United States: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Sullins

2019

Medicina

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Background and Objectives: Psychological outcomes following termination of wanted pregnancies have not previously been studied. Does excluding such abortions affect estimates of psychological distress following abortion? To address this question this study examines long-term psychological outcomes by pregnancy intention (wanted or unwanted) following induced abortion relative to childbirth in the United States. Materials and Methods: Panel data on a nationally-representative cohort of 3935 ever-pregnant women assessed at mean age of 15, 22, and 28 years were examined from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Relative risk (RR) and incident rate ratios (IRR) for time-dynamic mental health outcomes, conditioned by pregnancy intention and abortion exposure, were estimated from population-averaged longitudinal logistic and Poisson regression models, with extensive adjustment for sociodemographic differences, pregnancy and mental health history, and other confounding factors. Outcomes were assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Version 4, American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) diagnostic criteria or another validated index for suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety (affective problems); drug abuse, opioid abuse, alcohol abuse, and cannabis abuse (substance abuse problems); and summary total disorders. Results: Women who terminated one or more wanted pregnancies experienced a 43% higher risk of affective problems (RR 1.69, 95% CI 1.3–2.2) relative to childbirth, compared to women terminating only unwanted pregnancies (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.0–1.4). Risks of depression (RR 2.22, 95% CI 1.3–3.8) and suicidality (RR 3.44 95% CI 1.5–7.7) were especially elevated with wanted pregnancy abortion. Relative risk of substance abuse disorders with any abortion was high, at about 2.0, but unaffected by pregnancy intention. Excluding wanted pregnancies artifactually reduced estimates of affective disorders by 72% from unity, substance abuse disorders by 11% from unity, and total disorders by 21% from unity. Conclusions: Excluding wanted pregnancies moderately understates overall risk and strongly understates affective risk of mental health difficulties for women following abortion. Compared to corresponding births, abortions of wanted pregnancies are associated with a greater risk of negative psychological affect, particularly depression and suicide ideation, but not greater risk of substance abuse, than are abortions of unwanted pregnancies. Clinical, research, and policy implications are discussed briefly.

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Couple Pregnancy Intentions and Induced Abortions in the United States

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

Reproductive Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence, and Unintended Pregnancy Among Latina Women

Reproductive Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence, and Unintended Pregnancy Among Latina Women

Psychometric properties of the Dutch London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy for pregnant people and their partners

Affective and Substance Abuse Disorders Following Abortion by Pregnancy Intention in the United States: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

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