Primary Care Physicians' Perceptions of Rates of Unintended Pregnancy

Overview

Journal Contraception

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Reproductive Medicine

Date 2011 Dec 20

PMID 22176791

Citations 10

Authors

Sara M Parisi

Shannon Zikovich

Cynthia H Chuang

Mindy Sobota

Melissa Nothnagle

Eleanor Bimla Schwarz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Primary care physicians (PCPs) treat many women of reproductive age who need contraceptive and preconception counseling.

Study Design: To evaluate perceptions of rates of unintended pregnancy, we distributed an online survey in 2009 to 550 PCPs trained in General Internal Medicine or Family Medicine practicing in Western Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania, Rhode Island or Oregon.

Results: Surveys were completed by 172 PCPs (31%). The majority (54%) of respondents underestimated the prevalence of unintended pregnancy in the United States [on average, by 23±8 (mean±SD) percentage points], and 81% underestimated the risk of pregnancy among women using no contraception [on average, by 35±20 (mean±SD) percentage points]. PCPs also frequently underestimated contraceptive failure rates with typical use: 85% underestimated the failure rate for oral contraceptive pills, 62% for condoms and 16% for contraceptive injections. PCPs more often overestimated the failure rate of intrauterine devices (17%) than other prescription methods. In adjusted models, male PCPs were significantly more likely to underestimate the rate of unintended pregnancy in the United States than female PCPs [adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 2.17 (1.01-4.66)].

Conclusions: Many PCPs have inaccurate perceptions of rates of unintended pregnancy, both with and without use of contraception, which may influence the frequency and the content of the contraceptive counseling they provide.

Citing Articles

[Preventive activities in women. PAPPS update 2022].

Lopez Garcia-Franco A, Baeyens Fernandez J, Iglesias Pineiro M, Alonso Coello P, Ruiz Cabello C, Pereira Iglesias A Aten Primaria. 2022; 54 Suppl 1:102471.

PMID: 36435585 PMC: 9705224. DOI: 10.1016/j.aprim.2022.102471.

Contraceptive Procedures in Internal Medicine Clinics and Resident Education: a Qualitative Study of Implementation Methods, Barriers, and Facilitators.

Casas R, Prifti C, Bachorik A, Stuckey H, Sobota M, Chuang C J Gen Intern Med. 2021; 36(11):3346-3352.

PMID: 33959883 PMC: 8606354. DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-06832-3.

[Preventive activities in women's care].

Lopez Garcia-Franco A, Baeyens Fernandez J, Bailon Munoz E, Iglesias Pineiro M, Ortega Del Moral A, Alonso Coello P Aten Primaria. 2021; 52 Suppl 2:125-148.

PMID: 33388112 PMC: 7801221. DOI: 10.1016/j.aprim.2020.09.001.

A Novel Contraception Counseling and Shared Decision-Making Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents.

Ortiz Worthington R, Oyler J, Pincavage A, Abou Baker N, Saathoff M, Rusiecki J MedEdPORTAL. 2020; 16:11046.

PMID: 33324751 PMC: 7727611. DOI: 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11046.

Lopez Garcia-Franco A, Baeyens Fernandez J, Bailon Munoz E, Iglesias Pineiro M, Del Cura Gonzalez I, Ortega Del Moral A Aten Primaria. 2018; 50 Suppl 1:125-146.

PMID: 29866353 PMC: 6836928. DOI: 10.1016/S0212-6567(18)30366-4.

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