associate professor of gender and women's studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2017 Sep;49(3):149-156. doi: 10.1363/psrh.12025. Epub 2017 Apr 17.
Many young adults are unclear about how much they want to have, or prevent having, a baby. However, pregnancy ambivalence is an underexamined factor in the uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods-IUDs and implants-the most effective methods available.
In 2014, investigators conducted six focus groups and 12 interviews with 50 women aged 18-29 in Dane County, Wisconsin; participants were either university students or community residents receiving public assistance. A modified grounded theory approach was used to analyze the data.
Four themes emerged. First, participants described a pregnancy desire spectrum: Those strongly motivated to avoid pregnancy were most receptive to LARC methods, while those with less clear or mixed desires worried that these methods would prevent "accidental" pregnancies that might not be unwelcome. Second, women within a few years of wanting children perceived LARC methods as too "permanent," despite awareness of their reversibility. Third, age and life stage were important factors: Younger women and those attending school or beginning careers were more likely than others to consider these methods because they had clearer motivations to avoid pregnancy. Finally, relationship stage influenced receptiveness to LARC methods: Women in newer relationships were more receptive than were those in longer term relationships who imagined having a baby with their partner someday.
Effectiveness is not the only factor in women's selection and use of contraceptive methods. Individual preferences will lead some women to choose non-LARC methods even when fully informed of their options.
许多年轻人对于自己想要生育或避免生育的意愿并不明确。然而，对于最有效的避孕方法——宫内节育器（IUD）和植入物，怀孕矛盾心理是长期可逆避孕措施（LARC）使用率的一个尚未被充分研究的因素。
2014 年，研究人员在威斯康星州戴恩县进行了六次焦点小组讨论和 12 次访谈，共 50 名年龄在 18-29 岁的女性参与其中，她们或是大学生，或是接受公共援助的社区居民。研究人员采用修正的扎根理论方法对数据进行了分析。
四个主题浮现出来。首先，参与者描述了一个怀孕意愿范围：那些强烈希望避免怀孕的人最愿意接受 LARC 方法，而那些意愿不太明确或混合的人则担心这些方法会阻止“意外”怀孕，而这些怀孕可能不是不受欢迎的。其次，在想要孩子的几年内，女性认为 LARC 方法过于“永久”，尽管她们知道这些方法是可以逆转的。第三，年龄和生活阶段是重要因素：年轻女性和正在上学或开始职业生涯的女性比其他人更有可能考虑这些方法，因为她们有更明确的避免怀孕的动机。最后，关系阶段影响对 LARC 方法的接受程度：处于新关系中的女性比处于长期关系中的女性更愿意接受 LARC 方法，因为后者想象有一天会与伴侣生育孩子。
有效性并不是女性选择和使用避孕方法的唯一因素。个人偏好将导致一些女性即使充分了解自己的选择，也会选择非 LARC 方法。
