TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations Between Perceived Partner Support and Relationship Dynamics With Timing of Pregnancy Termination
AU - Kapadia, Farzana
AU - Finer, Lawrence B.
AU - Klukas, Emily
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by the Charlotte Ellertson Social Science Postdoctoral Fellowship in Abortion and Reproductive Health.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017
Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2011/5/1
Y1 - 2011/5/1
N2 - Background Little is known about partner- and relationship-level characteristics that may affect the timing of pregnancy termination. The present study sought to address this issue by examining women's perceptions of social support and relationship-level dynamics for their association with timing of pregnancy termination. Methods Data on partner characteristics and relationship dynamics were collected from 373 women receiving abortions at clinics in two large East Coast cities via a brief, self-administered survey. These surveys collected information on individual and partner characteristics as well as perceived emotional, financial, and material support and relationship dynamics. Results Forty-six percent of women (mean age, 25 years; 52% African American, 27% Latina, 9% White; 34% currently in school; 37% employed full time) in this study were terminating a pregnancy at more than 9 weeks’ gestation (mean, 9.6; median, 8; interquartile range, 6–12). On bivariate analysis, we found that women terminating early (<9 weeks) were more likely to report perceptions of supportive partner interactions and joint decision making compared with those terminating later. Perceived negative interactions with partners were associated with later termination. In multivariate analysis, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, women who reported delays in pregnancy termination were also more likely to report a greater degree of perceived negative interactions in their relationships (adjusted odds ratio, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–3.20). Discussion These findings suggest that factors influencing a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy are not limited to her own professional or personal goals, but also include the social and relationship context within which the pregnancy occurs.
AB - Background Little is known about partner- and relationship-level characteristics that may affect the timing of pregnancy termination. The present study sought to address this issue by examining women's perceptions of social support and relationship-level dynamics for their association with timing of pregnancy termination. Methods Data on partner characteristics and relationship dynamics were collected from 373 women receiving abortions at clinics in two large East Coast cities via a brief, self-administered survey. These surveys collected information on individual and partner characteristics as well as perceived emotional, financial, and material support and relationship dynamics. Results Forty-six percent of women (mean age, 25 years; 52% African American, 27% Latina, 9% White; 34% currently in school; 37% employed full time) in this study were terminating a pregnancy at more than 9 weeks’ gestation (mean, 9.6; median, 8; interquartile range, 6–12). On bivariate analysis, we found that women terminating early (<9 weeks) were more likely to report perceptions of supportive partner interactions and joint decision making compared with those terminating later. Perceived negative interactions with partners were associated with later termination. In multivariate analysis, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, women who reported delays in pregnancy termination were also more likely to report a greater degree of perceived negative interactions in their relationships (adjusted odds ratio, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–3.20). Discussion These findings suggest that factors influencing a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy are not limited to her own professional or personal goals, but also include the social and relationship context within which the pregnancy occurs.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.whi.2011.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.whi.2011.02.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 21530844
AN - SCOPUS:79955711639
VL - 21
SP - S8-S13
JO - Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
JF - Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
SN - 1049-3867
IS - 3
ER -