Impact of the Availability of Women’s Health Clinics on Unwanted Pregnancy Among Active Duty Service Women

BACKGROUND: Unwanted or mistimed pregnancies are pregnancies that occur in women who do not intend to become pregnant or did not desire another child at the time of conception. Ensuring access to contraception is important for both preventing unwanted pregnancy among active duty service women (ADSW) and preserving their right to reproductive autonomy. Women's Health Clinics (WHCs), available on some installations, bases, or duty stations owned and operated by the United States military, are intended to improve contraceptive access. This study aims to determine the association between availability of WHCs and unwanted pregnancy among ADSW. METHODS: Using data from the 2020 Women's Reproductive Health Survey of ADSW we examined unwanted pregnancy in 2,939 ADSW who reported pregnancy in the last 12 months. Bivariate analyses and weighted binary and multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess the relationship between women reporting an unwanted pregnancy and having a WHC at their installation. RESULTS: We identified 354 unwanted pregnancies. Having a WHC at their current installation was significantly associated with a 39% decreased odds of unwanted pregnancy (aOR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.42-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Having a WHC at an ADSW's installation is associated with significantly decreased odds of unwanted pregnancy. This suggests that access to specialty women's health care at duty stations may promote reproductive autonomy among ADSW, contributing to the prevention of unwanted or mistimed pregnancies, ultimately enhancing mission readiness.