Contraceptive and sexual practices among single women with an unplanned pregnancy: partner influences.

Data from an urban obstetrics clinic on 291 unmarried women with a current unplanned pregnancy show that women with only one partner in the past year are older and are more likely to use the most effective contraceptive methods than are women who have more than one partner. Women with only one partner are also more likely to be solely responsible for decision-making about the choice of contraceptive methods, and are not as likely to use drugs in conjunction with sex. However, women with one partner are also less likely than others to use condoms or to protect in some other way against sexually transmitted diseases or the human immunodeficiency virus.