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Do Unintended Births Influence Readiness for Future Use of Modern Contraception among Women in Mexico?

Fatima Juarez, El Colegio de Mexico
Cecilia Gayet, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO)

Unintended pregnancies have been a concern for public health. The negative effect on the health of births and women has been documented, but further research is needed to fully understand its impact. Research on the association on contraceptive use after experiencing an unintended birth is limited, and most of the evidence is from developed countries. It is important to understand if the experience of an unintended birth results in better planning on future fertility. The subject is relevant in Mexico because contraceptive use has stalled and might lead to a greater number of unintended births. Research on unintended births is very limited in the country partly due to lack of data. Recently, survey data is available –ENADID 2018- that allow studying recent births unwanted and mistimed. The aim of this study is: a) to estimate the level of recent unwanted and mistimed births; 2) to explore associated factors to unwanted and mistimed births, and 3) to investigate if women experiencing a recent unwanted or mistimed birth prompted a readiness to contraceptive use in accordance with their fertility intentions for next child, controlling for associated factors, an aspect that has not been researched in Mexico previously.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Family planning and contraception

See paper.

  Presented in Session 128. Pregnancy Intentions and Life Planning among Women, Men and Adolescents