September 2019: Power Updates Edition
There are plenty of articles, publications, and stories published every month. In an effort to help you distinguish fact from fiction, save time in your already busy day, and share news you may not have otherwise seen, here are twelve stories from the last month we thought you might find interesting:
Birth Control
Cost Minimization Analysis of Same-Day Long-Acting Reversible Contraception for Adolescents
The results of this study showed that providing interested adolescents with a long-active reversible contraceptive (such as an IUD or the implant) on the same day as their clinic visit could lead to substantial savings on the part of insurance providers as well as a decrease in unplanned pregnancy and abortion.
Sexual and Reproductive Health
The findings of this report are organized into six domains: contraceptive services, costs and coverage, abortion care, mental health and intimate partner violence, social determinants of health, and immigration policies. The report gathers data from focus group interviews with low-income, reproductive ages women and their providers in San Francisco, Tucson, and Atlanta.
Public Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus and Receipt of Vaccination Recommendations
Health People 2020 has set a goal of 80% vaccination coverage against HPV. However, as of 2017, the US has only achieved coverage of 48.6%. This study looked at national levels of knowledge about HPV and the estimated number of HPV vaccine recommendations by a health care provider.
Association Between Forced Sexual Initiation and Health Outcomes Among US Women
This study asked the question, “What is the prevalence of forced sexual initiation among women and girls in the United States and its association with reproductive, gynecologic, and general health outcomes?” It found that forced sexual initiation is common among women and associated with several negative health outcomes including an increased likelihood of experiencing an unwanted pregnancy or abortion.
State-by-State Health Insurance Coverage among Women of Reproductive Age in 2017
Created by the Urban Institute, these fact sheets show health insurance coverage among women age 15-44 across all 50 states and DC.
Support for Sex Education and Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programmes in the USA
This study reinforces our own research that the majority of the general public supports sex education and federally funded teen pregnancy prevention programs.
Abortion
Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2017
In 2017, an estimated 862,320 abortions occurred in clinical settings in the US. This marks a 7% decline since 2014 and the continuation of a long-term downward trend. Clinics provided 95% of abortions with private physicians’ offices and hospitals making up the other 5%.
Predicted Changes in Abortion Access and Incidence in a Post-Roe World
This study found that any reversal or weakening of the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade will likely lead more disparities in access to abortion, which could potentially lead to a reduced number of abortions and an increased number of unplanned pregnancies.
Pregnancy and Birth
This study found explored the patient-provider experience among pregnant women of color. Results suggest, the way providers withhold and disseminate information around pregnancy and childbirth directly influence the autonomy and decision-making of expectant mothers.
Whether or not a clinic accepts Title X funding directly affects the availability of certain services related to pregnancy. The study looked at the availability of basic infertility services, reproductive life plan assessment, screening for body mass index, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, provision of natural family planning services, infertility treatment, and primary care services.
A Qualitative Assessment of Perspectives on Getting Pregnant
This study looked to better understand how people view and approach pregnancy. They found that study participants described pregnancy (or pregnancy avoidance) as either a deliberate, planned process, something that “just happens” such as an act of faith, or a blend of the two ideas.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths — United States, 2007–2016
Annually around 700 women in the US die as a result of pregnancy or its complications. This report looks specifically at racial and ethnic disparities within this population and found that from 2007-2016 Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women experienced significantly more pregnancy-related deaths than their white, Latino, and Asian/Pacific Islander peers.
