Abstract

PIP: Women in the US experience high rates of unintended pregnancy compared with women from other countries. It is estimated that nearly 50% of pregnancies are unintended. About 66% of these pregnancies occur in adult women and 30% occur within marriage. In considering this fact, it is reasonable to explore how women's health care providers¿ influence reduces unintended pregnancies. This includes examining how new patients seeking contraceptive care are handled; availability and accessibility of services; patients' decisions regarding family size and spacing; and patients' education. Traditional health education often implies that if a woman has sex without using a method of birth control she will become pregnant. Such does not apply for the majority of the population, and the dissonance between the educational message and the reality leads to questions on fertility, failure, and risking unintended pregnancies. Moreover, advocates should voice out their stance in negotiations undertaken in legislative decisions and insurance contracts.