Women with Suicidal Ideation, Substance Use Disorder, or Intimate Partner Violence in the Emergency Department: Retrospective Analysis of Contraceptive Documentation

The authors aimed to investigate the contraceptive documentation practices in the emergency department (ED) for women of reproductive age experiencing suicidal ideation, substance use disorder, or intimate partner violence. Their retrospective analysis revealed that these women had significantly lower rates of contraceptive status documentation and faced greater barriers to care, including higher rates of uninsurance and longer ED stays, highlighting a critical gap in addressing their reproductive health needs. The findings suggest that improving contraceptive inquiry in this vulnerable population could help reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancies and enhance overall health outcomes.