Long-acting reversible contraceptive preference and initiation among clinic-based and telemedicine medication abortion patients at one academic health system in California

Rebecca Woofter; Rajita Patil; May Sudhinaraset; Jessica Gipson

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2025.110838

Long-acting reversible contraceptive preference and initiation among clinic-based and telemedicine medication abortion patients at one academic health system in California

Contraception. 2025 May:145:110838. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2025.110838. Epub 2025 Feb 10.

Authors

Rebecca Woofter¹, Rajita Patil², May Sudhinaraset³, Jessica Gipson³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: rwoofter@ucla.edu.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Bixby Center to Advance Sexual and Reproductive Health Equity, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
³ Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Bixby Center to Advance Sexual and Reproductive Health Equity, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

PMID: 39938673
DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2025.110838

Abstract

Objectives: To examine possible differences in postabortion long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) preference and initiation among clinic-based medication abortion and telemedicine medication abortion patients.

Study design: We examined electronic medical records among 576 medication abortion patients at one health system in California between 2020 and 2022.

Results: Overall, 25% of patients preferred LARC and 21% initiated LARC. Among those who preferred LARC, 77% initiated LARC. No statistically significant differences were found in LARC preference or initiation across medication abortion modalities.

Conclusions: In this health system, clinic-based medication abortion and telemedicine medication abortion patients did not differ in postabortion LARC preference or initiation.

Keywords: Long-acting reversible contraception; Medication abortion; Postabortion contraception; Telehealth medication abortion; Telemedicine medication abortion.

MeSH terms

Abortion, Induced* / methods
Adolescent
Adult
California
Female
Humans
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception* / statistics & numerical data
Patient Preference* / statistics & numerical data
Pregnancy
Telemedicine
Young Adult