Contraceptive Use Among Women in the US-Mexico Border Region
Author Information
Author(s): Jose L Robles, Lewis Kayan L, Suzanne G Folger, Jill A McDonald, Mirna Perez, Lauren Zapata, Polly A Marchbanks, Mauro Ruiz, Ginger Gossman, Brian C Castrucci, Imelda Garcia
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
What are the contraceptive practices and unintended pregnancy rates among postpartum women in the US-Mexico border region?
Conclusion
More effective contraceptive practices are needed in this population, especially among younger and less-educated women.
Supporting Evidence
- 48% of pregnancies were unintended among the women surveyed.
- 34.1% of women in Mexico who did not use contraception believed they could not become pregnant.
- Contraceptive use was less common among younger women and those without a high school diploma.
- Women with a source of routine health care were more likely to have used contraception.
Takeaway
Many women in the US-Mexico border region are having babies they didn't plan for, and a lot of them didn't use birth control properly.
Methodology
Data were collected through in-hospital personal interviews of postpartum women in hospitals from both sides of the border.
Potential Biases
Self-reporting may introduce social desirability bias and misclassification errors.
Limitations
Data were collected retrospectively, potentially leading to recall bias, and the study excluded women who had miscarried or aborted.
Participant Demographics
Participants included postpartum women from Cameron County, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, with a majority being Hispanic or Latino.
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