The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly increased the use of telemedicine in healthcare, including contraception care. Little is known about the implications of using a telemedicine platform for equity and person-centeredness of care. We propose a sequential mixed-method study that seeks to understand the experience of contraception counseling through telemedicine for patients who speak Spanish at Planned ...Read more >

The use of telehealth has rapidly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic; due to its expeditious implementation, systems designed for in-person care are currently being used to deliver telehealth care. In-person visits for contraception decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth contraceptive care offers many advantages for patients, including the ability to remain in a familiar environment, ...Read more >

DMPA is available in both subcutaneous (DMPA-SC) and intramuscular (DMPA-IM) formulations. While DMPA-SC is only FDA-approved for provider-administration, the 2021 CDC Selected Practice Recommendations advised that DMPA-SC be made available for self-administration. Multiple prior studies have compared self-administered DMPA-SC to both provider-administered DMPA-SC and DMPA-IM and found that continuation rates for self-administered DMPA-SC are higher. ...Read more >

Plan A Health is a mobile clinic providing reproductive healthcare and primary care screenings in the Mississippi Delta. With this project, we intend to assess the acceptability and feasibility of self-administered DPMA-SC as a primary form of contraception for patients in underserved rural communities. Family planning counseling on the clinic will include information on both ...Read more >

While subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) was designed for self-administration, the FDA approved it in the US for provider administration and insurance often covers only the clinic-administered intramuscular (IM) formulation. Despite evidence about patients’ interest in, as well as the efficacy of, DMPA-SC for user-administration, it remains an under-utilized contraceptive option for reasons hypothesized to ...Read more >

Recommendations regarding contraceptive counseling and reproductive health differ amongst transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth compared to cis-gender youth. TGD youth face unique health disparities including increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, sexual abuse and violence, and unwanted pregnancies. TGD youth also face inequities within the healthcare system including lack of access to providers and ...Read more >

Survey data provide evidence that US patients report interest in self-administration of DMPA-SC, with current DMPA users exhibiting greater interest than past- or never-users. Feasibility studies show family planning patients, including adolescents, can successfully self-inject DMPA-SC after being trained and that self-injecting patients report similar levels of satisfaction to patients receiving provider-administered injections. Given this ...Read more >

Natalie Stokes is a cardiovascular disease fellow planning to specialize in women’s cardiovascular health, and specifically cardio-obstetrics. As such, she is particularly passionate about addressing the high rates of maternal cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through early, effective family planning care, including assessment of reproductive goals, and education and access to safe contraception and abortion. Prior ...Read more >

As a public health doctorate student at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), Kristen Surles is pursuing her goal of improving equitable access to care for teens to improve their overall well-being. Before returning to school, she worked as a counselor in underserved middle and high schools. It was here that her drive to improve access ...Read more >

Ortal is a PhD Candidate at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University and holds an MSW from the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Through both practice and research, she is committed to promoting reproductive justice and equitable access to family planning ...Read more >