Increasing Contraception Knowledge to Decrease Unintended Pregnancies

Women suffering from substance use disorder have higher incidences of unintended pregnancies compared to the general population (Hurley et al., 2023). Unintended pregnancies strain the healthcare system and place stress on the mother and fetus. Inaccurate reproductive healthcare knowledge and insufficient use of reliable contraceptives are at the forefront of this problem. The project goal was to assess if increasing contraception knowledge increased desire to obtain contraception among women with substance use disorder. This project took place at a female residential treatment facility. The Contraception Knowledge Assessment (CKA) tool was used to assess contraception knowledge before and after an education session. A presentation was created and delivered to all residents. The presentation included information on stages of the menstrual cycle, how conception takes place, how different substances affect pregnancy, and birth control options. 43 residents qualified under the inclusion criteria and completed the pre-CKA and post-CKA. Intellectus statistical software was used to run a paired t-test to evaluate the contraception knowledge of the participants, comparing the pre-CKA to post-CKA. The results of the paired t-test were significant based on α=.05, t(42) = -8.00, p < .001. The participants were also polled regarding interest in obtaining future contraception. Pretest showed 37.21% of participants were interested, which increased to 44.19% in the post-test. Patient-centered contraception counseling within a substance use treatment facility has the potential to decrease unintended pregnancy rates. By increasing knowledge and encouraging reproductive autonomy, women are empowered to make family planning choices that align with their recovery and enhance their success in sobriety.