Pregnancy Intentions, Contraceptive Knowledge And Educational Aspirations Among Community College Students

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Higher Education Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Community college students are a significant portion of U.S. undergraduates.
• This demographic faces elevated risks of unintended pregnancy.
• Their preparedness and perceptions regarding pregnancy prevention are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore pregnancy prevention awareness and attitudes among community college students.
• To understand how students perceive pregnancy in relation to their educational and career aspirations.

Main Methods:

• Conducted in-depth interviews with 57 community college students (aged 18-25) in California.
• Included participants of all genders.
• Utilized content analysis to identify key themes in the qualitative data.

Main Results:

• Students desired to prevent pregnancy but often engaged in unprotected sex, perceiving low risk.
• Pregnancy was seen as a challenge to, but not a barrier to, educational goals.
• Limited knowledge of risks and negative beliefs about contraceptives (hormonal, IUDs, implants) were prevalent.
• Female students worried about poverty and career impacts; LGBTQ+ students also had contraceptive concerns.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists in awareness of pregnancy risks and prevention strategies among community college students.
• Educational and reproductive health initiatives are needed to address these knowledge deficits and negative perceptions.