Article
Authors: Emma Barr (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa) , Alka Walter (University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa) , Linder Wendt (Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa) , Mary Rysavy (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa)
Objective: Assess postpartum contraceptive preferences and use before and after implementation of interventions to improve contraceptive counseling at a free clinic for uninsured pregnant patients.
Methods: This was a pre- and post-intervention observational study in Iowa City, Iowa, that included patients from February 2019 – December 2021. Multilingual educational charts and an electronic medical record (EMR) template reminder to prompt antenatal contraceptive discussion were implemented in April 2021.
Results: There were 117 pre-intervention patients and 33 post-intervention. Prior to the intervention, 30% of patients had no documentation of contraceptive counseling; afterward, 3% had no documentation (p=.001). Thirty-three percent of patients obtained highly or moderately effective contraception prior to the interventions and 52% did after (p=.068).
Conclusions: Multi-lingual educational handouts and an EMR template reminder were associated with increased postpartum contraceptive counseling; contraceptive use also generally increased with the interventions. Increasing access to contraceptive education may increase contraceptive autonomy in underserved populations.
Keywords: Postpartum period, contraception, emigrants and immigrants, medically uninsured
How to Cite: Barr, E. , Walter, A. , Wendt, L. & Rysavy, M. (2022) “Postpartum contraception counseling and uptake in an uninsured population”, Proceedings in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 11(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/2154-4751.31854