Researchers have recently begun considering whether and how to include LGBTQ people in research about abortion and contraception care. Including LGBTQ people in research about abortion and contraception care and the risk for an unintended pregnancy more broadly requires an accurate assessment of the risk for unintended pregnancy, which involves different considerations for LGBTQ people.

The researchers created a survey with existing sexual orientation and gender identity measures, new reproductive anatomy questions to guide the skip patterns, gender-neutral terminology in sexual and behavioral risk questions, and existing contraception and pregnancy intentions items modified gender-neutral. We then assessed these measures’ appropriateness through cognitive interviews with 39 individuals aged 18–44 who were assigned female at birth and identified as LGBTQ. Participants were recruited in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Baltimore, Maryland, and other cities.

They felt skipping patterns and removed them from wrong items; there was some question about whether pregnancy intention measures were widely appropriate or should be further restricted.

This study concluded that the guidance on ways to appropriately evaluate the inclusion of LGBTQ people in abortion and contraception research.

Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/44/4/292

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