Using a Public Health Model to Address Unintended Pregnancy

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to present a plan for incorporating a coordinated system of unintended pregnancy prevention into primary care and to delineate the role of the nurse as a potential leader in this process.

Methods: The prevention of unintended pregnancy continues to be a significant public health concern.

Results: In spite of its frequency and significant costs, unintended pregnancy has received less attention in research than other important health threats resulting in a system-wide failure to successfully provide care to individuals of reproductive potential who are at risk of unintended pregnancy. This has resulted in a failure to develop prevention guidelines for use by health care providers. An evidenced-based blueprint for a coordinated system of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of unintended pregnancy is proposed for health professionals who provide care for patients at risk for unintended pregnancy. The role of nursing, as a facilitator of coordinated care, in the prevention of unintended pregnancy is an essential one if prevention is to be included in primary care.

Conclusion: To meet the Healthy People 2020 goals of increasing the number of intended pregnancies, unintended pregnancy prevention will need to be an aspect of the routine care of all men and women of reproductive potential. The model presented is a tool to aid in the integration of unintended pregnancy prevention into routine care. For this model to be effectively implemented, nurses will need to be leaders in developing a coordinated system.