A survey of solid organ transplant recipient attitudes and concerns regarding contraception and pregnancy

Many women who are solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients wish to have children after transplantation. Contraception is an important component of post-transplant planning and care, given the increased risk associated with post-transplant pregnancies. We sought to understand patient attitudes and concerns about post-transplant contraception and pregnancy.

Following a comprehensive literature review, our team developed a survey that was administered to female SOT recipients of childbearing age. We used descriptive and inferential statistics to characterize participant views RESULTS: A total of 243 transplant recipients completed the survey (80.7% response rate). The mean age of respondents was 37.5 years (±8.1 years), 66.7% were kidney recipients, and 40.7% were within the first year after transplant. The most common concerns among respondents included fetal and maternal health complications. Participants generally did not agree that transplant recipients should be advised to avoid pregnancy. There was strong support for shared decision-making about pregnancy after transplantation CONCLUSION: Understanding patient perspectives can help transplant providers make better care recommendations and support patient autonomy in reproductive decisions post-transplant. Given that there are some differences in views by transplant type, individualized conversations between patients and providers are needed.