Theresa Christensen

Theresa Christensen is an MD candidate at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is applying into residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her academic interests include reproductive justice, contraceptive access, and patient decision making. Her current research investigates how patients make decisions about postpartum contraception.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a common and highly effective form of contraception in the postpartum period. IUDs can be inserted immediately after childbirth, or insertion can be delayed to the first postpartum doctor’s visit. Immediate device insertion is often more convenient for patients, especially for those who may miss follow-up appointments or lose insurance coverage after delivery. However, immediate IUDs also have higher risk of device expulsion, malposition, or difficult removal. Given the history of reproductive coercion in the U.S., it is imperative to understand how patients make decisions regarding these types of tradeoffs. Theresa’s work will use Sawtooth Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint to investigate which attributes of immediate and delayed IUDs patients value when making decisions about postpartum contraception. This data will eventually be used to develop evidence-based counseling guidelines for healthcare providers discussing postpartum contraceptive options with their patients.