Promoting Postpartum Contraception

More than half of unintended pregnancies experienced by parous U.S. women occur within 2 years of the previous delivery. To assess the relation between these rapid repeat pregnancies and postpartum contraception, investigators analyzed data from 3005 women who delivered one or more liveborn singletons within 3 years of participating in the 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth.

Although 72% of respondents were using some form of contraception by 3 months postpartum, only 6% were using a subdermal implant or intrauterine device (IUD). Pregnancy rates within 12 months postpartum were 0.5% among those using an implant, IUD, or permanent method of contraception, 9% among those using other hormonal contraceptives, 15% among those using barri…