Study results warn of ‘birth-control sabotage’

Clinicians may need to screen young woman for
another problem if they have an unintended pregnancy and admit they
aren’t using birth control — intimate partner violence.

A study released in this month’s issue of
Contraception found “reproductive coercion” common among 16- to
29-year-old women. Researchers surveyed 1,300 women at five
reproductive clinics in northern California
and found 53 percent had experienced physical or sexual violence from
an intimate partner. Of those, 35 percent also reported pregnancy
coercion or birth control sabotage such as damaging condoms or
destroying contraceptives. Obviously, this group’s risk of unintended
pregnancy increased significantly.

“This study highlights the under-recognized
phenomenon where male partners actively attempt to promote pregnancy
against the will of their female partners,” said the study’s lead
author, Elizabeth Miller, assistant professor of pediatrics at University of California Davis School of Medicine.

The Family Violence Prevention Fund says reproductive
coercion can also result in sexually transmitted diseases, miscarriage,
infertility, coerced abortion and poor birth outcomes such as preterm
birth and low-birthweight babies. Its website, www.KnowMoreSayMore.org features women sharing their experiences.

Also released: After 15 years of significant
declines, the nation’s teen birth rate rose 4 percent in 2006, and the
teen abortion rate increased 1 percent.

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