Contraceptive Service Use among Hispanics in the U.S.

Elizabeth Wildsmith, Child Trends
Kate Welti, Child Trends

A better understanding of factors linked to contraceptive service use among Hispanic women is central to efforts to promote sexual and reproductive health in general among Hispanics, a group with high rates of unintended pregnancy. We use data from two waves of the NSFG to identify factors linked to contraceptive service use among Hispanics. Notably, we focus on heterogeneity within the Hispanic population, examining differences in service use by level of “acculturation” – a combined measure of nativity, length of time in the U.S., and language use at home. Our findings show that, in this sample, contraceptive services, particularly at clinics, are fairly accessible to the foreign-born population. Instead, it seems to be the least acculturated of the native-born/1.5 generation population––the Spanish speakers––that receive the fewest contraceptive services, at either a clinic or non-clinic location.