Women and contraception in research: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health Research
• Clinical Trial Recruitment
• Women's Health Studies

Background:

• Limited data exist on women's willingness to join clinical trials based on reproductive risk.
• The impact of contraceptive requirements on participation is not well understood.
• Recruitment and retention of women in trials are hindered by uncertainties about their preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess women's willingness to participate in research with contraceptive requirements.
• To investigate how restrictions on contraceptive choice affect participation.
• To determine if perceived reproductive risk influences willingness to enroll in studies.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study was conducted to evaluate willingness to participate in research with contraceptive mandates.
• Examined three common reversible contraceptive types: hormonal, barrier, and intrauterine devices.
• Tested hypotheses on the impact of contraceptive choice restrictions and perceived risk on participation.

Main Results:

• Women's willingness to participate decreased as perceived reproductive risk increased.
• Mandating specific contraceptive methods significantly reduced reported willingness to join research.
• Restrictions on contraceptive choice negatively influenced participation intentions.

Conclusions:

• Specific contraceptive method requirements appear to decrease women's willingness to participate in research.
• Findings highlight the importance of contraceptive choice flexibility for equitable recruitment of women.
• Investigating and addressing contraceptive limitations is crucial for clinical investigators and IRBs to ensure fair participant enrollment.