Stoffel Cynthia, Carpenter Emma, Everett Bethany, Higgins Jenny, Haider Sadia
Department of Academic Internal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
Madison School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
Semin Reprod Med. 2017 Sep;35(5):460-468. doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1604456. Epub 2017 Oct 26.
The family planning needs of sexual minority women (SMW) are an understudied but growing area of research. SMW have family planning needs, both similar to and distinct from their exclusively heterosexual peers. Specifically, SMW experience unintended pregnancies at higher rates than their exclusively heterosexual peers, but factors that increase this risk are not well understood. Contraception use is not uncommon among SMW, but lesbian women are less likely to use contraception than bisexual or exclusively heterosexual women. High rates of unintended pregnancy suggest contraception is underused among SMW. Contraception counseling guidelines specific to SMW do not yet exist, but greater adoption of current best practices is likely to meet the needs of SMW. SMW may have unique needs for their planned pregnancies as well, for which obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) providers should provide care and referrals. In general, understandings of the distinct family planning needs for SMW are limited and further research is needed, with particular attention to issues of over-lapping health disparities related to status as a SMW and other factors such as race/ethnicity that may add additional layers of stigma and discrimination. Clinical resources are needed to help Ob/Gyns make their practice more welcoming to the needs of SMW.
性少数群体女性（SMW）的计划生育需求是一个研究较少但不断发展的研究领域。SMW有计划生育需求，与她们完全异性恋的同龄人既有相似之处，也有不同之处。具体而言，SMW意外怀孕的发生率高于她们完全异性恋的同龄人，但增加这种风险的因素尚未得到充分了解。避孕措施在SMW中并不罕见，但女同性恋女性比双性恋或完全异性恋女性更不太可能使用避孕措施。意外怀孕率高表明避孕措施在SMW中未得到充分利用。针对SMW的避孕咨询指南尚不存在，但更多地采用当前的最佳做法可能满足SMW的需求。SMW对其计划怀孕可能也有独特需求，妇产科（Ob/Gyn）提供者应为其提供护理和转诊。总体而言，对SMW独特的计划生育需求的了解有限，需要进一步研究，尤其要关注与作为SMW的身份相关的重叠健康差异问题以及种族/族裔等其他因素，这些因素可能会增加额外的耻辱感和歧视。需要临床资源来帮助妇产科医生使其医疗实践更能满足SMW的需求。
