A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning
BackgroundWomen of childbearing age may face unintended pregnancy (UP). They are usually referred by primary care professionals (PCPs) to gynecologists to manage their UP in countries where abortion is legalized. The study aimed to determine the prevalence, demographic profiles, and associated facto...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.996696/full |
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| author | Xin En Stephanie Quak Rehena Sultana Wai Keong Aau Chin Chin Goh Ngiap Chuan Tan Ngiap Chuan Tan |
| author_facet | Xin En Stephanie Quak Rehena Sultana Wai Keong Aau Chin Chin Goh Ngiap Chuan Tan Ngiap Chuan Tan |
| author_sort | Xin En Stephanie Quak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundWomen of childbearing age may face unintended pregnancy (UP). They are usually referred by primary care professionals (PCPs) to gynecologists to manage their UP in countries where abortion is legalized. The study aimed to determine the prevalence, demographic profiles, and associated factors of women in a developed community seeking referrals from PCPs for their UP.MethodsThe sociodemographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records of pregnant multi-ethnic Asian women at eight Singapore public primary care clinics from July 2017 to June 2020. Their demographic profiles were reviewed and compared among women of different age bands using appropriate statistical tests. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with UP referrals.ResultsAmong 9,794 gravid women, 974 of them requested gynecologist referrals to terminate UP over the 3-year period, constituting a prevalence of 9.94%. The mean age of women requesting such referrals was 29.7 ± 7 years. There were 10.7% with more than one prior unintended pregnancy and 15.7% were foreigners. The majority of these women were married, neither required social assistance nor had comorbidities. Only 2.9% of them were known to be prescribed contraceptives. A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that women of Indian ethnicity, single, aged below 20 years and above 40 years, were more likely to request referrals for UP.ConclusionOne in 10 gravid women had sought referrals for UP, especially adolescents and older women, and Indian ethnicity. An accessible community-based healthcare service to educate and counsel women on family planning is urgently needed to reduce the incidence of UP. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:36:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d2c6e08f38014c9b9052dd84c7c07b27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:36:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d2c6e08f38014c9b9052dd84c7c07b272022-12-22T04:39:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-11-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.996696996696A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planningXin En Stephanie Quak0Rehena Sultana1Wai Keong Aau2Chin Chin Goh3Ngiap Chuan Tan4Ngiap Chuan Tan5Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, SingaporeDuke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, SingaporeSingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore, SingaporeSingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore, SingaporeSingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore, SingaporeSingHealth-Duke NUS Family Medicine Academic Clinical Program, Singapore, SingaporeBackgroundWomen of childbearing age may face unintended pregnancy (UP). They are usually referred by primary care professionals (PCPs) to gynecologists to manage their UP in countries where abortion is legalized. The study aimed to determine the prevalence, demographic profiles, and associated factors of women in a developed community seeking referrals from PCPs for their UP.MethodsThe sociodemographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records of pregnant multi-ethnic Asian women at eight Singapore public primary care clinics from July 2017 to June 2020. Their demographic profiles were reviewed and compared among women of different age bands using appropriate statistical tests. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with UP referrals.ResultsAmong 9,794 gravid women, 974 of them requested gynecologist referrals to terminate UP over the 3-year period, constituting a prevalence of 9.94%. The mean age of women requesting such referrals was 29.7 ± 7 years. There were 10.7% with more than one prior unintended pregnancy and 15.7% were foreigners. The majority of these women were married, neither required social assistance nor had comorbidities. Only 2.9% of them were known to be prescribed contraceptives. A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that women of Indian ethnicity, single, aged below 20 years and above 40 years, were more likely to request referrals for UP.ConclusionOne in 10 gravid women had sought referrals for UP, especially adolescents and older women, and Indian ethnicity. An accessible community-based healthcare service to educate and counsel women on family planning is urgently needed to reduce the incidence of UP.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.996696/fullunintended pregnancyabortionfamily planningcontraceptionprimary careAsian |
| spellingShingle | Xin En Stephanie Quak Rehena Sultana Wai Keong Aau Chin Chin Goh Ngiap Chuan Tan Ngiap Chuan Tan A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning Frontiers in Public Health unintended pregnancy abortion family planning contraception primary care Asian |
| title | A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning |
| title_full | A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning |
| title_fullStr | A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning |
| title_full_unstemmed | A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning |
| title_short | A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning |
| title_sort | 3 year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi ethnic asian community a call for better healthcare system for family planning |
| topic | unintended pregnancy abortion family planning contraception primary care Asian |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.996696/full |
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