Essential Estrogen

A partnership has been formed in the battle to reduce unintended pregnancies in Iowa.

Today, the University of Northern Iowa has announced a research program, funded by $11.5 million over the next five years, to determine the effectiveness of education projects aimed at increasing knowledge and utilization of pregnancy-planning services. The program is a part of the recently announced Iowa Initiative, headed by former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack.

Mary Losch, assistant director of the UNI Center for Social and Behavioral Research and associate professor of psychology, will direct the research efforts. She was selected to lead the project because of her long-standing work in the field of maternal and child health in Iowa.

The Iowa Initiative is focusing on women between the ages of 18 and 30. The research program through UNI is also targeting that age group.

"Our goal is to gain a solid understanding of the best ways to increase knowledge and influence attitudes and behaviors that will result in fewer unintended pregnancies and fewer abortions," Losch said.

In Iowa, roughly half of all pregnancies are unintended -- either mistimed or unwanted. The majority of women who do not want to be pregnant report that neither they nor their partners were using contraception at the time of conception. The research project hopes to better understand Iowa women's attitudes and beliefs about contraception and how community partners may be able to increase referrals to services designed to reduce unintended pregnancies.

The overall research effort will include five individual projects led by faculty collaborators at UNI, the University of Iowa College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy, and the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Each of the projects will test the efficacy of a specified method that educates about family planning and contraceptive services. Projects will take place throughout the state and all will partner with local businesses and organizations. At least one project will be a statewide effort.

"We are excited about this partnership," said Vilsack. "Research and education are key to this effort. From talking to women in local diners to hair salons and everywhere women in Iowa gather to chat, we need to get the word out about where women can find accurate information and access to contraceptives that work for them. UNI's research program will give us the data we need to move this effort forward."

The first year of the five-year project will be devoted to working with communities and businesses and developing test project materials. During the next three years, the projects will take place. In the final year, results will be tabulated, analyzed and reported. In addition to the primary goal of reducing unintended pregnancies in Iowa, the research findings will be used to strengthen and expand existing programs within Iowa and across the nation.

The UNI project is being funded by a grant from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, the same organization that has funded the Iowa Initiative. Details about the exact design and implementation of each project will be provided over several months.