Beliefs and Practices of Contraceptive Usage among Undocumented Latina Women in Central Ohio

Abstract

Despite a decline in unintended pregnancy rates among all racial/ethnic groups in the United States, disparities exist between Hispanic (56%) and white women (38%). Ohio’s Hispanic community has doubled since 2000 with Columbus ranking #2 in population size. Ohio also ranked 51st in the nation for the most exclusionary policies toward undocumented immigrants that included impact on health and well-being.

Between 2016-2017, 111 women in central Ohio participated in a recorded telephone survey conducted in Spanish and recruited from community outreach activities. Seventy-nine women (71.2%) were undocumented and 82.3% born in Mexico.

The majority reported their age between 31-45 (81%) and were between ages 19-30 when arriving in the US (63.3%). Almost half were married (44.5%), and 42% were living with a partner. Almost 86% reported giving birth to at least one child in the US. Top birth control methods ever used included condoms (70.9%), birth control pills (55.7%), and intrauterine devices (50.6%). Almost 70% stopped using a method because they were unsatisfied in some way, with the most common response due to side effects (38%).

Undocumented women were more likely to have had an unintended pregnancy (p=.036). Despite the fact that almost 90% of undocumented women surveyed believe in using contraceptives and that almost 40% were very sure they do not want to have another baby in the future, half had not received any type of medical care in the past year. Access to affordable contraception remains a key barrier in family planning in central Ohio.