Background: Cervical preparation before second-trimester dilation and evacuation reduces surgical risk. Same-day cervical preparation in early second trimester is safe and effective with osmotic cervical dilators and prostaglandin analogues but few studies have examined cervical preparation methods for same-day dilation and evacuation in the second trimester. Administration of misoprostol as an adjunct to osmotic dilators ...Read more >

HIV specialists are the main primary care providers for women with HIV; this care often includes gynecologic care. Specific drug interactions between contraceptives and antiretroviral therapy may alter contraceptive efficacy for HIV+ women of reproductive age. There are limited data on what women with HIV are using for contraception and it is unclear what HIV ...Read more >

Background: The use of long-acting, highly effective forms of contraception such as the intrauterine device (IUD) or subdermal implant is associated with lower pregnancy and repeat abortion rates.  Immediate post-abortal insertions are safe and effective, yet many abortion facilities in the United States do not offer immediate placement. Previous research has identified patient and provider ...Read more >

Background: The United States has one of the highest teen birth rate in the entire developed world, despite a decline in rates over the last two decades. Declining teen pregnancy rates have been due in part to increasing knowledge, access, and utilization of contraception. Teen birth rates of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women ...Read more >

Background: With less than 5% adolescents using IUDs, there is limited information on young women’s contraceptive decision making around choosing IUDs and their experiences with IUDs.  Prior qualitative studies have largely utilized in-depth interviews and centered around the time of pregnancy.  The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore why adolescents who were enrolled ...Read more >

Background: Reproductive autonomy (RA) means having control over one’s own fertility desires. Identification in a religious community may impact women’s decision-making abilities surrounding family planning. Upadhyay et al. developed a scale consisting of three domains that measure RA as it applies to a woman and her partner: freedom from coercion, communication, and decision-making. However, little ...Read more >

This project had the long-term goal of addressing the unintended pregnancy rate among Native Hawaiians, which is by the best evidence we have, the highest among the major racial groups in Hawaii. Hawaii has the 2nd highest unintended pregnancy rate in the nation. Addressing this health disparity would make strides toward empowering Hawaiians to achieve ...Read more >

Women who present for an elective abortion represent a population that is at risk for unintended pregnancy, and their contact with the health care system may seem an ideal time to discuss and provide contraception. Despite the fact that 90-95% of women receive a form of contraception at the time of an abortion, approximately half ...Read more >

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 >