Family Planning University of Chicago

Clinical Studies

The MINT Study IRB# 15498A
full description and inclusion criteria

An IUD is the most effective method of contraception. This study is being done to compare how female teenagers respond to two different FDA-approved IUDs.

Study comparing the NuvaRing ® versus Ortho Tri-CyclenLo in College Women: (The ACCEPT Study) IRB # 14067B (currently recruiting)
full description and inclusion criteria

For many women, college is a time of great change that affects one’s social and behavioral practices, including sexual behavior. The first part of the NuvaRing ® Acceptability study is an online survey, developed in conjunction with the University of Illinois’s Survey Research Laboratory, which examines women’s attitudes and beliefs regarding various methods of birth control. The second part of the study is a comparison trial in which the women are randomized to either the NuvaRing ® vaginal contraceptive ring or a low dose oral contraceptive. The women are followed for three months to assess compliance, side effects, overall acceptability and intent to continue use of the method. Ultimately, we would like college women to be well informed about various methods of contraception available to them and to choose the contraceptive method that best suits their lifestyle.

A Phase III Trial Examining the Safety and Efficacy of an Experimental 12-Month Contraceptive Vaginal Ring (the Pop Council Study) IRB #: 14624A (currently recruiting)
full description and inclusion criteri a

The research study will examine the safety and efficacy of an experimental contraceptive vaginal ring designed to last for 12 months and contains lower dosage of hormones than the birth control pill. Women enrolled in the study will participate in seven study visits over the course of one year and up to three telephone follow-up contacts over a period of 6 months, if needed. As part of the study, women will receive physical and gynecological exams and complete daily diaries. All visits will take place at a private setting at the University of Chicago. Participants will receive $250 for participation in the seven study visits. The study may result in a new birth control alternative for women.

IUD After Cesarean Delivery Study (PIXIE study)
full description and inclusion criteria

This research study will compare the use of a type of intrauterine device (IUD), the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (Mirena® IUD or LNG-IUS) inserted immediately after delivery of the placenta during your cesarean delivery versus the use of the Mirena® IUD placed 4-8 weeks following your cesarean section. The study will also examine differences in overall satisfaction with the method, expulsion (when the IUD comes out of the uterus on its own), menstrual periods and bleeding, other side effects and complications, pregnancy, and quality of life.

Qualitative/Quantitative Studies

Postpartum Sterilization Study

Postpartum sterilization is one of the most effective methods of contraception and offers convenience when compared to interval tubal ligation. Despite these beneficial aspects of the procedure, many women who, during prenatal care, express a desire to undergo postpartum sterilization do not have the procedure done. We are conducting two complementary studies to examine the factors that influence whether or not a woman obtains a desired postpartum sterilization. Through the retrospective chart review we hope to identify risk factors for failure to obtain a desired postpartum sterilization. In the related qualitative study, we follow a cohort of mothers prospectively for six moths to assess the consequences of not obtaining a desired postpartum sterilization. We hope that our research will improve postpartum contraceptive care for women at high risk for unintended pregnancies.

Rapid Repeat Pregnancy Study

Pregnancies that occur in rapid succession, with little time in between, often result in poor health outcomes for both the mother and the children. Little is known about the factors that influence the length of a woman’s interpregnancy interval. We are reviewing the medical records of women who gave birth at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center to identify risk factors associated with repeat pregnancies paying particular attention to demographic factors and contraceptive method chosen at discharge. Findings from this study may help health care providers and their patients prevent poor outcomes associated with rapid repeat pregnancies.

Oral Contraceptive Use in Young Latinas

Latinas have a high rate of unplanned, repeat pregnancies that occur shortly after a previous pregnancy. This phenomenon may be prevented by consistent use of an effective contraceptive method; however, little has been published on Latina contraceptive compliance. In collaboration with the Access Community Health Network, we have identified clinics that serve this at risk population. We are conducting interviews, focus groups and surveys of the young Latina population who visit these clinics in order to determine barriers to consistent contraceptive use. A culturally appropriate education program will then be developed to promote improved contraceptive practices.

Contraceptive and Family Planning in Minority Adolescent Men and Women

Minority communities experience a higher incidence of unplanned pregnancy than other communities. We are conducting focus groups with mothers of teens, fathers of teens, teenage boys, and teenage girls in both African American and Hispanic communities to examine knowledge, practices and attitudes toward teen pregnancy and contraceptive use.

Pregnancy Intention

Unintended pregnancies are associated with poor maternal and child health outcomes as well as lowered educational and economic attainment. Over half of the pregnancies in the United States are reported to be unintended, with higher rates reported in poor and minority communities. Thus far, efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies have been met with little success. By conducting qualitative interviews with young women at high risk for unintended pregnancies, we will explore the complex issues underlying “intent” in order to improve future intervention programs.

Improving Contraceptive Practices in Young Women

African American and Latina adolescents are twice as likely as white adolescents to experience an unplanned pregnancy. Working with Access Community Health Network, we are conducting focus groups in African American and Latino communities with women who became mothers as teens. By comparing the experiences of women who had only one teen pregnancy to those who had multiple teen pregnancies, we hope to identify barriers to preventing subsequent adolescent pregnancies.

Conceptualizing EC: An In-depth Interview Study of Prior Users

Emergency Contraception has the potential to greatly decrease the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions in the US. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that EC is being underutilized by American women. Most people attribute this phenomenon to barriers in accessing EC, but a few recent studies have shed doubt on this assumption. We are performing a qualitative study to look at how personal characteristics, attitudes and decision-making affect a woman’s choice to use EC. The ultimate goal of this research is to inform future educational initiatives and promotion of EC as a method of preventing unintended pregnancy and abortion.