Most patients with genetic conditions receive postpartum LARC counseling, but uptake lags

Individuals with genetic conditions face an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, making effective postpartum contraception an important part of their care, yet data on counseling in this group have been limited. A new retrospective cohort study, published in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, examined how often long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) counseling was documented for pregnant patients with genetic diagnoses who delivered at two delivery sites between 2011 and 2024.

The researchers used a retrospective chart review to evaluate documentation of LARC counseling across the study period. They found that counseling was documented in 83.3% of patients. Among those who received documented counseling, 27.1% went on to initiate LARC. The study was designed to describe documentation and uptake at these two sites, so the figures reflect the records of the patients studied rather than a broader population estimate.

The analysis also identified factors associated with whether counseling was documented. Nulliparity was associated with lower counseling rates, while antepartum disease progression and certain complications were associated with higher counseling rates. In other words, patients whose conditions worsened during pregnancy or who experienced complications were more likely to have counseling recorded, whereas patients delivering their first child were less likely to have it documented.

The authors report that variation in counseling across demographic and clinical factors suggests gaps in equitable counseling, highlighting the need to better understand the barriers that affect this population. The study is an open-access article published on 13 August 2026, and the version shared is subject to further edits before the final Version of Record.

Subject of Research: Postpartum long-acting reversible contraception counseling and uptake among individuals with genetic conditions

Article Title: Contraceptive counseling among individuals with genetic conditions: a retrospective cohort study

Article References: Nevins, A. W., Zemet, R., Ojo, E., Abraham, K., & Adams, A. D. (2026). Contraceptive counseling among individuals with genetic conditions: a retrospective cohort study. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-026-00474-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40834-026-00474-8

Keywords: contraception, LARC, genetic conditions, postpartum care, retrospective cohort, counseling, reproductive health, health equity, pregnancy outcomes, nulliparity, Contraceptive, individuals