title: Unintended pregnancy in a commercially insured population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While much attention has been focused on unintended pregnancy in disadvantaged populations, few studies have focused on women in lower risk groups. This study, conducted in a national managed care organization, reports the prevalence of unintended pregnancy resulting in live births and examines associated factors
  
  
  METHODS
  Women ages 18-49 who delivered a live infant during a 6-month interval were eligible for the study. Telephone surveys were conducted after delivery. We report the rate of unintended pregnancy resulting in a live birth, and describe its association with sociodemographic and pregnancy-related factors, partner's intention status, and contraceptive use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1173 births, 29% were unintended. Women who reported that the partner did not want the pregnancy were 7.4 times more likely than women whose partner wanted the pregnancy to regard the pregnancy as unintended. Only 40% of the women with an unintended birth used birth control and 64% of those used less effective methods such as condoms and diaphragms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a population where the majority of women were married, educated, and with incomes over $40,000, almost 1/3 of the births resulted from unintended pregnancies. Future research is needed to help us better understand contradictions in pregnancy intention and contraceptive behavior. Comprehensive efforts are needed to promote consistent and correct use of contraception by women at risk for unintended pregnancy, and to involve male partners in family planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Emory Center on Health Outcomes and Quality, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. dgreen@sph.emory.edu
authors.forename: Diane C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gazmararian
authors.forename: Lisa D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Mahoney
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology