Supporting Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, which was passed in 2017 and began expanding reproductive health service in January 2018, the OPC partnered with the Oregon Health Authority to communicate with providers what these changes meant for patients, providers and health systems in order to increase availability of LARC devices as well as other reproductive health services.

Unintended pregnancy is endemic in Oregon, and across the United States, and carries significant health and economic consequences [1-3]. The postpartum period is a time of high unmet need for effective contraception. A study of Medicaid patients in California demonstrated the need for postpartum contraception to achieve healthy birth spacing: only 41% had a postpartum visit for contraception, and four out of 10 women had a repeat pregnancy in less than 18 months [4].

Long-acting reversible contraception [LARC, including intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants] are the most effective forms of contraception, up to 20 times more effective than short-acting methods [3]. LARC can be safely placed during the hospital admission for childbirth, including for breastfeeding mothers [4]. Immediate availability of postpartum LARC improves the health of infants and women by facilitating healthy birth spacing.

The OPC partnered with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Family Planning and the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) to provide training in immediate postpartum LARC in Oregon to ensure access to this contraceptive choice across the state. Additional information for assistance with LARC is available from ACOG here.