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Contraception access and use among U.S. servicewomen during deployment
Kate Grindlay1, Daniel Grossman
1Ibis Reproductive Health, Oakland, CA 94612, USA.
Contraception
|November 6, 2012
Summary
Many servicewomen use contraception during deployment, but a third face access issues. Improving pre-deployment counseling and refill access for birth control is crucial for preventing unintended pregnancies.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Military Medicine
- Contraception
Background:
- Unintended pregnancy affects 12% of US servicewomen annually.
- Contraception use during military deployment is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess contraception access and usage among deployed servicewomen.
- Identify barriers to effective birth control during deployment.
Main Methods:
- Online survey conducted from April to November 2010.
- Convenience sample of 281 US servicewomen deployed overseas.
- Assessed access to and use of contraception for deployment.
Main Results:
- 63% of respondents used contraception during their last deployment.
- One-third reported inability to access desired contraceptive methods.
- 59% did not discuss contraception with a military provider before deployment.
- 41% experienced difficulties obtaining contraceptive refills.
Conclusions:
- Enhance pre-deployment contraceptive counseling for servicewomen.
- Improve access to and refills of birth control methods during deployment.
- Expand availability of long-acting reversible contraceptives.
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