National Clinical Conference Addresses the Question, 'Unintended Pregnancy -- Are Healthcare Providers to Blame?'

9/10/2002

From: Natalia Barolin of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, 202-466-3825; E-mail: nbarolin@arhp.org Web Site: www.arhp.org

DENVER, Sept. 10 -- New research to be presented on Sept. 12, at the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals' (ARHP) 39th annual meeting, Reproductive Health 2002, examines the potential effects of miscommunication between healthcare providers and patients on unintended pregnancies ending in abortion. Jennifer Isaacs, MD, and Mitchell D. Creinin, MD, from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine conducted the research.

The study used a retrospective analysis of 357 patient charts from women seeking an office abortion in a private practice setting from January 1999 to June 2001. The analysis found that only 18 percent of women were using their birth control method correctly with no known risk of failure. Twenty one percent of women were using their birth control method correctly but experienced an event that put them at risk for pregnancy, 31 percent were using their birth control method incorrectly, 27 percent were using no birth control method at all, and 4 percent had initially planned the pregnancy. Miscommunication between patients and their healthcare provider(s) could be determined by patient history to have significantly and negatively affected use of a primary contraceptive method in 14 percent of patients.

Although 27 percent of women knew about emergency contraception (EC), more than half of these women could have used EC but did not do so. Of the 73 percent of women who did not know about EC, nearly 2/3 had an identifiable event that resulted in pregnancy for which ECcould have been used. The study concludes healthcare providers contribute to the unintended pregnancy rate and the number of abortions performed annually in the US by providing poor medical advice or miscommunicating with patients.

Reproductive Health 2002 will take place during Women's Health Month, on September 11th-14th at the Hyatt Regency Denver. The research presentations will occur on September 12th, from 3 - 4:30 p.m. For a press pass and media kit, contact Natalia Barolin, communications coordinator, at 202/466-3825 or e-mail nbarolin@arhp.org. You may also register on site. For the complete conference agenda, go to http://www.arhp.org/conferences/.

The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) is a non-profit, multidisciplinary, education association representing leading healthcare providers, researchers, and educators in the field. ARHP is composed of professionals who provide reproductive health services or education, conduct reproductive health research, or influence reproductive health policy. ARHP, founded in 1963, has a mission to educate health care professionals, public policy makers, and the public. The organization fosters research and advocacy to promote reproductive health.