Effect of Formal Contraception Handouts on Postpartum Birth Control Use and Methods

Reducing unintended pregnancies and those that are conceived within 18 months of a previous livebirth is an important health concern in the United States. Both unintended and close-interval pregnancies constitute 40% and 35% of pregnancies in the United States respectively with some overlap between the two categories and are associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. A national survey found that 17.8% of women using 'less-effective' methods and 23% of women using no birth control became pregnant in ≤18 months2. Access to better contraception education could potentially decrease the proportion of unintended pregnancies and close-interval pregnancies. In addition to the health concerns, 58% of women in the US would like more information about contraceptive options, and organized handouts on birth control have been shown to contribute to the choice in birth control. However, there has been conflicting evidence about which educational methods increase postpartum contraception use. Therefore, the investigators propose a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that assesses whether a handout on contraception options increases postpartum birth control use. The control group would receive a nutrition handout, and the intervention group would receive a handout on birth control options in addition to each receiving the standard of care. The researchers would also give pre- and post-natal questionnaires, covering patient satisfaction, intention to use birth control, and how often a provider discusses birth control options.