Increasing uptake of long-acting reversible contraception with structured contraceptive counselling : cluster randomised controlled trial (the LOWE trial).

• OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of structured contraceptive counselling on uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), and pregnancy rates.DESIGN: Cluster randomised trial SETTING: Abortion, youth, and maternal health clinics in Stockholm, Sweden.POPULATION: Sexually active women ≥18 years without a wish for pregnancy seeking abortion and/or contraceptive counselling.METHODS: For participants in clinics randomised to intervention, trained health care providers implemented a study-specific intervention package designed for structured contraceptive counselling. Participants in the control clinics received routine counselling.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was choice of LARCs at first visit. Secondary outcomes were LARC initiation at three months and pregnancy rates at three and 12 months. We used logistic mixed-effects models with random intercept for clinic to account for clustering.RESULTS: From September 2017 to May 2019, 28 randomised clinics enrolled 1364 participants. Analyses including 1338 subjects showed that more participants in the intervention compared to control group chose LARCs (267/658 (40.6%) versus 206/680 (30.3%), odds ratio (OR) 2.77, 95% CI 1.99 to 3.86). LARC initiation was higher in the intervention compared to the control group (213/528 (40.3%) versus 153/531 (28.8%), OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.49). At abortion clinics, pregnancy rate was significantly lower at 12 months in the intervention versus the control group (13/101 (12.9%) versus 28/103 (27.2%), OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.88).CONCLUSIONS: Structured contraceptive counselling increased LARC uptake in all clinics and significantly reduced unintended pregnancy rates in abortion clinics at 12 months follow-up.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

LARC

contraception

counselling

unintended pregnancy

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)