Family Planning and Reproductive Health Experiences of Latina Women in a United States Border City

Family planning and reproductive health services are essential protective factors against unwanted, unintended, or mistimed pregnancies. However, underserved women such as those who are low-income, uninsured, or geographically or linguistically isolated may not have optimal access to these essential services. This study explores the experiences of Latina women in a United States’ border city in accessing family planning care through focus group discussions. We conducted two focus groups with Latina women of reproductive age in a border town in the United States, n=16. Focus groups were conducted in Spanish and audio recorded for transcription. Two independent bilingual student researchers transcribed and translated the audio files for analysis. A team of one faculty member and two student researchers analyzed the translated transcripts using traditional content analysis for qualitative research until consensus was achieved on major themes. This study was approved under the Office of Human Research at George Washington University, in collaboration with the Human Subjects Research Council at Central Washington University. This study is currently in progress and undergoing the qualitative analysis of transcripts. The research team is currently collaborating to develop consensus on key themes that we will report regarding Latina women’s experiences with family planning care