Methods for Measuring Pregnancy Intentions: Examining Intentions of Women’s First, Last and Current Pregnancies in a Sample of Women from New Orleans

Ilene S. Speizer, DynCorp
John S. Santelli, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Aimee Afable, Tulane University

One indicator of gaps in family planning services is the proportion of pregnancies that are reported as unintended. Using data from the Determinants of Unintended Pregnancy Risk in New Orleans Study we examine the measurement and reliability of various measures of pregnancy intendedness and attitudes towards pregnancy. Preliminary results demonstrate that 69.4% of first pregnancies were unintended. Among last or current second or higher order pregnancies, 55.7% were considered unintended. Among women who experience contraceptive failure for a second or higher order birth, two thirds of these pregnancies (66.1%) are reported as unintended. This proportion is higher among currently pregnant women (78.9%) compared to women reporting on a prior pregnancy (51.9%) suggesting substantial recall bias. Filling key gaps in knowledge on the measurement and reliability of fertility and pregnancy reports is crucial to better understand which women have the greatest needs for family planning services.

Presented in Poster Session 4: Aging, Population Trends and Methods, Religion and Gender