Although it is known that pregnancy intention impacts contraceptive use, there has been little exploration into the relationship between pregnancy intention and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) non-use in the Australian context.
The researchers administered semi-structured telephone interviews with a sample of participants from the Contraceptive Use, Pregnancy Intention, and Decisions (CUPID) Study in 2016.
Fifteen participated in an interview. One theme arising from these interviews is reported here. The analysis suggests that women with ambivalent or unclear plans toward pregnancy were less likely to perceive LARC as a suitable method for them. Conversely, women who clearly intended to avoid pregnancy and who had clear plans for future pregnancy valued these methods and often framed their plans for incubation within the context of their chosen LARC.
The findings of this study presented the complicated relationship between pregnancy intention and contraceptive use. In particular, this study provided insight into the problematic notion of pregnancy ambivalence. Researchers found dichotomous definitions of pregnancy as intended or unintended to be inadequate in encapsulating actual reproductive experiences.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/44/3/207
