Couples counseling at an abortion clinic: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Public Health
• Contraception

Background:

• Nearly half of United States pregnancies are unintended.
• Limited male partner support may contribute to inconsistent contraception use.
• Abortion clinics present an opportunity to engage male partners in reproductive health discussions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the proportion of abortion patients accompanied by a male partner.
• To determine the proportion of accompanying partners who accepted couples counseling.
• To describe couples' experiences with abortion-related counseling.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study conducted at a Baltimore abortion clinic over a 3-month period.
• Recorded patients accompanied by partners and those accepting couples counseling.
• Collected feedback via questionnaires from women, partners, and the counselor.

Main Results:

• 27% of 774 patients were accompanied by a male partner; 42% of these couples accepted counseling.
• African-American patients were less likely to be accompanied by a male partner compared to White and Hispanic patients.
• Patients and partners appreciated the support, informed decision-making, and communication facilitated by couples counseling.

Conclusions:

• Over a quarter of abortion patients arrived with a partner, with a significant minority accepting counseling.
• Couples counseling was positively evaluated by participants.
• Engaging male partners in abortion clinics can be beneficial for reproductive health support.