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The unwanted birth and the family planning service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Mary E. Brennan
Affiliation:
Health Services Research Unit, Department of Social Medicine, University of Birmingham
L. J. Opit
Affiliation:
Health Services Research Unit, Department of Social Medicine, University of Birmingham

Summary

In a survey in Coventry of 1079 post-natal patients, 11% (104) of married women and 46% (32) of single women stated that this birth was unwanted and emotionally distressing. The married women with unwanted births were the same age as other married women, but had substantially larger families. The single women with unwanted births were younger and all had left school at 16 years or below. Ten per cent of married women and 28% of single women with unwanted births had no knowledge of contraception and 28% of married women and 78% of single women with unwanted births had not used any contraceptive methods. Seventy-six per cent of married women and 78% of single women with unwanted births would have liked further professional advice.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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References

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