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Pregnancy Self-Testing Behavior

Approximately 50% of second-trimester abortion patients do not confirm they are pregnant until they are already in the second trimester. For people who are late to recognize the signs and symptoms of pregnancy, or who do not experience these symptoms, later recognition of pregnancy can delay seeking abortion care or lead to late entry into prenatal care. Researchers at ANSIRH are seeking to understand whether provision of free at-home pregnancy tests, coupled with routine text message reminders to test monthly, lead to people to confirm and seek care earlier in pregnancy.

Study Design

ANSIRH’s Daniel Grossman collaborated with researchers at the University of Cape Town to conduct a pilot study to establish whether routine pregnancy testing is feasible and acceptable. The study provided free at-home tests to 76 young women in Cape Town, South Africa, and sent reminders via text message to test monthly. The study followed their experiences with routine pregnancy testing over a three-month period, including their satisfaction with the process. The results of this study are in analysis.

The Pregnancy Self-Testing Behavior Study is being piloted in the United States.

Implications

Results are forthcoming.