Understanding Contraceptive Needs of Women Who Inject Drugs in Orange County: A Qualitative Study

Women with opioid use disorder experience higher rates of unintended pregnancy compared with the general US population. Our aim was to examine the factors that may affect access to desired contraception for women who use injection drugs.

Using purposive sampling, we conducted semi-structured interviews pertaining to contraceptive use with 14 women ages 18 to 44 who were current users of injection drugs living in Orange County, CA between March and December 2019. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using grounded theory.

Participants discussed logistical barriers, including homelessness and lack of transportation, as well as perceived barriers, such as a belief in the inability to become pregnant while using drugs, that affect access to contraceptive care. Women also discussed the factors that motivate them to use contraception despite these barriers, including the desire for sobriety before becoming pregnant and fear of harming a fetus while using substances. Some participants expressed feeling uncomfortable disclosing substance use to their healthcare providers out of concern for stigmatization. Several points of access for contraceptive care were elucidated, including visits for primary and postpartum care, as well as in carceral spaces. Finally, participants expressed a desire to obtain contraceptive services at a local syringe exchange program due to trusting relationships with providers and increased ease of access.

Our findings highlight several causative factors for the unmet contraceptive need among women who use injection drugs, and suggest that syringe exchange programs represent a unique access point for the provision of contraceptive care for this population.