Highly Effective Reversible Contraceptive Initiative-Salt Lake (HER-SL)

The persistently high rate of unintended pregnancy in the US suggests an inadequacy of current prevention models and a need for new approaches to contraceptive acceptability and promotion. Although popularity of Highly Effective Reversible Contraception (HER-C) in the US is steadily increasing, less than 10% of contracepting women use intrauterine devices (IUDs) or subdermal contraceptive implants, which are the most effective methods for avoiding unintended pregnancy.

Poverty is an important predictor of unintended pregnancy where women with incomes below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) have over a five-fold increased risk of unintended pregnancy relative to women with higher incomes. Because of limited public funds for family planning, low-income women in Salt Lake County have limited access to HER-C, which has high initiation cost but significant cost-saving potential over time. Additionally, contraceptive research has inadequately measured the social impact of HER-C.

The first aim of the HER Salt Lake Initiative is to evaluate the increase in HER-C methods with three strategies: 1) Client centered contraceptive counseling; 2) Removal of financial barriers; and 3) Targeted media campaigns.

The second aim of the HER Salt Lake Initiative is to assess changes in earnings and education among women initiating HER-C compared to other methods of contraception and model the projected lifetime earning potential of women based on their contraceptive method choices.