Reproductive health counseling at pregnancy testing: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES

To pilot brief reproductive health counseling for women obtaining pregnancy testing in a managed-care setting who did not desire pregnancy.

METHODS

Women received counseling, access to contraception and a booster call at 2 weeks. Changes in contraceptive behavior were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 85 women who completed counseling, 58 (68%) completed follow-up. Participants reported that counseling was useful at baseline (94%) and follow-up (83%). The staff found the intervention important (100%) and implementation feasible (100%). Forty-one percent of participants improved their use of contraception (from no use or from less effective use to more effective use). Twenty-nine percent continued highly effective use and 9% recessed from highly effective use. Of 22 participants with risk of sexually transmitted disease, 3 (14%) began using condoms consistently, while 1 (5%) continued using condoms consistently.

CONCLUSIONS

Counseling at pregnancy testing was well accepted by the staff and participants. Observed behavioral changes suggest that this intervention may be effective in increasing effective use of contraception.