Weight loss can markedly improve fertility, and women undergoing weight loss are at risk for unintended pregnancy.  Women are counseled to avoid pregnancy within 12-18 months of bariatric surgery and/or while taking teratogenic weight loss medications.   We hypothesized that an on-site contraceptive counseling intervention tailored to the specific needs of these women may help ...Read more >

Background and purpose: HIV positive women in the United States use less effective contraceptive methods than HIV negative women and continue to rely primarily on condoms. Integration or linking of HIV and family planning services could improve contraception use. Integration strategies should be based on the needs and preferences of the target population. We embarked ...Read more >

Although illegal abortion is believed to be widely practiced in Haiti, little data exists on such practices. This study aimed to learn about illegal abortion access, methods, knowledge sharing and perceived barriers to abortion related care. Additionally, we aimed to identify the proportion of visits to a public hospital’s maternity ward that were attributable to ...Read more >

Despite significant advancements in the management of preterm labor (PTL), preterm birth (PTB) remains one of the most poorly understood and costly outcomes in obstetrics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12% of deliveries each year occur preterm (prior to 37 weeks) and PTB is the most frequent cause of infant ...Read more >

Little is known about contraception use among postpartum women in the West Bank. Survey data shows that 27% of birth intervals are under 18 months and 40% of pregnancies are mistimed or unwanted (Family Health Survey, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics 2007). While 40% of women report using modern contraceptive methods, they are predominantly older ...Read more >

Unintended pregnancy remains a huge problem for the United States where ~50% of pregnancies are unplanned.  The best ways to decrease the rate of unplanned pregnancy are to educate women on the most effective methods of contraception while also facilitating the use of the most effective methods.  Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) include the Mirena IUD ...Read more >

This project aims to investigate the specific factors associated with the wantedness of first sexual experiences among a nationally representative sample of heterosexual young men aged 18-24 years in the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). We will describe wantedness of first intercourse (Unwanted, Wanted, Ambivalent) by sociodemographic characteristics, relationship variables, and contraceptive use ...Read more >

Background: Unintended adolescent pregnancy continues to be a significant public health challenge in the US today, with up to 80% of teen pregnancies being unintended. Most unintended pregnancies are due to incorrect or inconsistent use of contraception. Long-acting, reversible contraceptives (the intrauterine device (IUD) and subdermal implant (implant)) are a potentially ideal contraceptive to address ...Read more >

Objective: To estimate the effect of oral midazolam on patient pain and anxiety perception during first-trimester surgical abortion. Methods: Between May and December 2013, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients between 6 0/7 and 10 6/7 weeks of gestation received 10 mg oral midazolam or placebo 30–60 minutes before surgical abortion. All patients ...Read more >

While IUDs are well-liked contraceptives, some patients will discontinue them within the first 9 months, and the experiences of these doctor-patient interactions are not well known. This study aims to describe the perspectives and experiences of patients and physicians when patients request an IUD removal within 9 months of insertion. In this qualitative study, we ...Read more >