Understanding Women's Contraceptive Expectations at the Time of a First Trimester Surgical Abortion

We will conduct a voluntary anonymous survey at four separate Sacramento area family planning clinics. We will introduce the research project to clinic staff, recruiting their support and participation, as they will be the main implementers. The survey will be offered to women in the waiting room before any pre-procedure counseling. We will include all women presenting to the clinic who are 18 years and older and planning to have a first trimester (<12 weeks gestation) surgical abortion. Gestational age will be based on what the woman believes is her gestational age at presentation, before any evaluation in the clinic. Women who cannot understand or read the survey will be excluded. We hope to implement the survey at these two clinics for 3-4 months reaching a minimum of 200 women so as to obtain an adequate power for our study. The brief survey will include a cover letter explaining the study and stressing the anonymity and confidentiality. The surveys will include an envelope in which to place completed surveys; the envelope can be sealed by the participant and dropped in a collection bin. This process will allow the data to be collected anonymously. The survey data will then be synthesized first by descriptive analysis, followed by chi-square and multiple regression analyses. A statistician in the University of California Davis Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology will help when necessary.

Inclusion criteria

• seeking first trimester surgical abortion

Exclusion criteria

• Women who cannot understand or read the survey