TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness and Harms of Contraceptive Counseling and Provision Interventions for Women
T2 - A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
AU - Nelson, Heidi D.
AU - Cantor, Amy
AU - Jungbauer, Rebecca M.
AU - Eden, Karen B.
AU - Darney, Blair
AU - Ahrens, Katherine
AU - Burgess, Amanda
AU - Atchison, Chandler
AU - Goueth, Rose
AU - Fu, Rongwei
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American College of Physicians. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/7/1
Y1 - 2022/7/1
N2 - Background: The effectiveness and harms of contraceptive counseling and provision interventions are unclear. Purpose: To evaluate evidence of the effectiveness of contraceptive counseling and provision interventions for women to increase use of contraceptives and reduce unintended pregnancy, as well as evidence of their potential harms. Data Sources: English-language searches of Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, and MEDLINE (1 January 2000 to 3 February 2022) and reference lists of key studies and systematic reviews. Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials of interventions providing enhanced contraceptive counseling, contraceptives, or both versus usual care or an active control. Data Extraction: Dual extraction and quality assessment of studies; results combined using a profile likelihood random-effects model. Data Synthesis: A total of 38 trials (43 articles [25472 participants]) met inclusion criteria. Contraceptive use was higher with various counseling interventions (risk ratio [RR], 1.39 [95% CI, 1.16 to 1.72]; I2= 85.3%; 10 trials), provision of emergency contraception in advance of use (RR, 2.12 [CI, 1.79 to 2.36]; I2= 0.0%; 8 trials), and counseling or provision postpartum (RR, 1.15 [CI, 1.01 to 1.52]; I2= 6.6%; 5 trials) or at the time of abortion (RR, 1.19 [CI, 1.09 to 1.32]; I2= 0.0%; 5 trials) than with usual care or active controls in multiple clinical settings. Pregnancy rates were generally lower with interventions, although most trials were underpowered and did not distinguish pregnancy intention. Interventions did not increase risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (RR, 1.05 [CI, 0.87 to 1.25]; I2= 0.0%; 5 trials) or reduce condom use (RR, 1.03 [CI, 0.94 to 1.13]; I2= 0.0%; 6 trials). Limitation: Interventions varied; few trials were adequately designed to determine unintended pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: Contraceptive counseling and provision interventions that provide services beyond usual care increase contraceptive use without increasing STIs or reducing condom use. Contraceptive care in clinical practice could be improved by implementing enhanced contraceptive counseling, provision, and follow-up; providing emergency contraception in advance; and delivering contraceptive services immediately postpartum or at the time of abortion.
AB - Background: The effectiveness and harms of contraceptive counseling and provision interventions are unclear. Purpose: To evaluate evidence of the effectiveness of contraceptive counseling and provision interventions for women to increase use of contraceptives and reduce unintended pregnancy, as well as evidence of their potential harms. Data Sources: English-language searches of Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, and MEDLINE (1 January 2000 to 3 February 2022) and reference lists of key studies and systematic reviews. Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials of interventions providing enhanced contraceptive counseling, contraceptives, or both versus usual care or an active control. Data Extraction: Dual extraction and quality assessment of studies; results combined using a profile likelihood random-effects model. Data Synthesis: A total of 38 trials (43 articles [25472 participants]) met inclusion criteria. Contraceptive use was higher with various counseling interventions (risk ratio [RR], 1.39 [95% CI, 1.16 to 1.72]; I2= 85.3%; 10 trials), provision of emergency contraception in advance of use (RR, 2.12 [CI, 1.79 to 2.36]; I2= 0.0%; 8 trials), and counseling or provision postpartum (RR, 1.15 [CI, 1.01 to 1.52]; I2= 6.6%; 5 trials) or at the time of abortion (RR, 1.19 [CI, 1.09 to 1.32]; I2= 0.0%; 5 trials) than with usual care or active controls in multiple clinical settings. Pregnancy rates were generally lower with interventions, although most trials were underpowered and did not distinguish pregnancy intention. Interventions did not increase risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (RR, 1.05 [CI, 0.87 to 1.25]; I2= 0.0%; 5 trials) or reduce condom use (RR, 1.03 [CI, 0.94 to 1.13]; I2= 0.0%; 6 trials). Limitation: Interventions varied; few trials were adequately designed to determine unintended pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: Contraceptive counseling and provision interventions that provide services beyond usual care increase contraceptive use without increasing STIs or reducing condom use. Contraceptive care in clinical practice could be improved by implementing enhanced contraceptive counseling, provision, and follow-up; providing emergency contraception in advance; and delivering contraceptive services immediately postpartum or at the time of abortion.
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U2 - 10.7326/M21-4380
DO - 10.7326/M21-4380
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35605239
AN - SCOPUS:85134720544
SN - 0003-4819
VL - 175
SP - 980
EP - 993
JO - Annals of internal medicine
JF - Annals of internal medicine
IS - 7
ER -