Contraceptive Technology Update – November 1, 2022

Bias-Free Reproductive Health Counseling Can Improve Patient Autonomy

Counseling patients on their contraception choices has always been difficult, but the stakes are higher now in the post-Roe era. New research about provider bias and empowering women to make their own decisions suggests ways to improve contraception counseling.

Cultural Humility and Other Training for Contraceptive Care Providers

Reproductive health providers might believe they provide unbiased contraceptive counseling, but research shows that this is not always the case. A recent study revealed that providers who said they embraced patient-centered care had used negotiating, withholding information, and delaying tactics to prevent patients from removing an IUD early.

Suggestions for Teaching Staff How to Counsel Without Bias, Persuasion

Research helps inform training tactics for reproductive health staff on providing contraceptive counseling in a way that patients perceive is unbiased and with cultural humility. These methods can establish trust with patients and improve contraceptive care.

National Survey Reveals Critical Need for Patient-Centered Counseling

Contraceptive Technology Update asked a Veterans Affairs researcher about her new study involving data on women veterans and contraceptive counseling.

Patients Report Positive Experiences with Self-Removal of IUDs

Self-removal of IUDs appears to be popular among many people and may empower women, but research indicates successful self-removal is not guaranteed.

Crisis Pregnancy Centers Often Deliver Coercive, Inaccurate Information

People seeking help with a pregnancy decision may see ads for a free pregnancy test and ultrasound and believe they are visiting a medical clinic, where all of their options will be explored. Instead, they will soon discover that they are visiting a center with no licensed medical providers that is designed to convince them not to seek an abortion.