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Reduce the proportion of unintended pregnancies — FP‑01

Status: Baseline only

  
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Baseline only

Most Recent Data:
43.0 percent (2013)

Target:
36.5 percent

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
43.0 percent of pregnancies among women aged 15 to 44 years were unintended in 2013

Reduce the proportion of pregnancies that are unintended

Target-Setting Method
Projection

Summary

Women who have unintended pregnancies are more likely to delay prenatal care, experience violence, and have mental health problems. In addition, children of women who have unintended pregnancies are at increased risk for mental and physical health problems — and they’re more likely to struggle in school. Rates of unintended pregnancies are decreasing overall, but disparities by race/ethnicity, age, income, and education level remain. Interventions to increase the use of birth control are critical for preventing unintended pregnancies.