Contraception access and use among US servicewomen during deployment

Abortion Knowledge and Experiences Among U.S. Servicewomen: A Qualitative Study

“…Similar findings were previously reported in research highlighting confidentiality concerns and health‐seeking stigma during deployment. Servicewomen commonly need to inform their chain of command to access health care, and in some cases, they have to disclose the reason for care . Also, women report that it is challenging to maintain confidentiality while accessing health services because of “gossip” and the close quarters of the military base .…”

“…Servicewomen commonly need to inform their chain of command to access health care, and in some cases, they have to disclose the reason for care. 9,18 Also, women report that it is challenging to maintain confi dentiality while accessing health services because of "gossip" and the close quarters of the military base. 9 Addressing these issues is paramount to ensure that servicemembers feel comfortable and safe accessing all health care.…”

In Reply

“…Beyond rape, unintended pregnancy is due to contraceptive nonuse or failure. [5][6][7] Although our study highlights disproportionately high rates of unintended pregnancy in the military in 2008, it is important to note that it may not reflect current practices. A 2011 U.S. Army white paper identified inadequate education on contraception among deployed women, 4 and other research indicates that servicewomen may not use or consistently use contraception due to additional factors, including lack of access to a preferred method, policies related to sexual activity, and deployment-related conditions.…”

Estimated Economic Impact of the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System on Unintended Pregnancy in Active Duty Women

“…Although surveys show over two-thirds of women have a favorable opinion of and use some form of contraception, the majority use short-acting methods that become difficult to maintain during deployment such as pills (requiring daily use and refills) or patches that fall off from dust and heat. 13,41–43 Many factors impacting the lack of contraception use among active duty women have been identified in the literature. These include lack of availability of chosen method while deployed, limited space in barracks for storage and privacy of contraception, and limited health care provider knowledge of contraception.…”