Preventing Unintended Pregnancies and Improving Contraceptive Use Among Young Adult Women in a Rural, Midwestern State: Health Promotion Implications

Despite high rates of unintended pregnancy among women aged 18 to 30 years, little research has been conducted to understand the factors associated with their contraceptive use. Eighteen focus groups were conducted with young adult women (N = 106) who were mostly white, non-Hispanic. Results suggested that contraceptive use was negatively affected by low contraceptive knowledge; use of alcohol; a lack of planning for sex; a misperception of the likelihood of pregnancy; forgetting to use contraceptives; and concerns about side effects, cost, and confidentiality. Women liked the peace of mind that using contraceptives gave them and the benefits of regular periods from some hormonal methods. Implications for reducing unintended pregnancies through interventions are offered.