Understanding pregnancy in a population of inner-city women in New Orleans—results of qualitative research

Unintended pregnancy has conventionally been defined as a pregnancy that is mistimed or unwanted, and this classification has been widely used in survey research. This study explores the utility of these constructs for women who visited a family planning clinic and a prenatal clinic in inner-city New Orleans, LA, and, by extension, for women of similar background and experience. We used semi-structured, open-ended research to explore sexual debut and history, contraceptive knowledge and use, pregnancy history, partner relations, and service use among 77 women (73 of whom were African-American).