Contraception Initiation after Early Abortion in a Family Medicine Setting: A Retrospective Chart Review

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Abstract

Objectives Early abortion increasingly is provided in the primary care setting, allowing improved access, continuity of care, and contraception, if desired. We aimed in this retrospective chart review to describe postabortion contraception provision in a family medicine office. Methods Participants were those patients who obtained an induced abortion during an 11-year period at a family medicine office. We documented contraception provision within 30 days of abortion and used simple proportions, Fisher exact tests, and χ2 tests to describe differences in contraceptive provision by type of abortion and continuity status. Results Most of the patients who underwent abortions (254/353, 72%) had documentation of a contraceptive method within 30 days of abortion, which was similar for patients who had either a medication (124/166, 75%) or an aspiration abortion (130/187, 70%, P = 0.71). The most common contraceptives were contraceptive pills (104/353, 29%) or intrauterine devices (68/353, 19%). Patients who chose a tier 1 method were more likely to have a procedure abortion (50/87, 57%), whereas patients who chose a tier 2 method were likely to have a medication abortion (83/160, 52%). Fewer than half (45%, 158/353, P = 0.0002) were continuity patients and established patients in the primary care office. Most tier 1 contraceptive users were continuity patients (49/87, 60%), whereas most patients without a contraceptive method were noncontinuity patients (72/99, 73%). Conclusions The primary care setting is uniquely equipped for providing early abortion and postabortion contraception. Although the providers offered all contraceptive options to eligible patients, continuity patients were more likely to receive more effective contraception in their primary care office.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)498-503
Number of pages6
JournalSouthern Medical Journal
Volume117
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

Keywords

  • abortion
  • contraception
  • family medicine
  • primary care

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