# Reproductive Life Planning for Women Veterans with Mental Illness

> **NIH VA I21** · BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · —

## Abstract

Project Background: Many women Veterans are of reproductive age and, of those, a substantial number
experience mental health concerns. Women Veterans with mental illness are at greater risk for unplanned
pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes due to factors unique to mental illness and mental health
treatment. In addition, mental health and mental health-related concerns associated with pregnancy (e.g.
impact of pregnancy on mental health, psychiatric medication use during pregnancy) often affect reproductive
life decisions and health outcomes. For these reasons, reproductive life planning (RLP), setting personal
goals and plans regarding reproductive intentions, that incorporates considerations and addresses concerns
specific to mental health conditions is particularly important for women with mental illness. Despite this need,
women Veterans with mental illness rarely receive RLP, and current tools do not adequately consider or
address the unique reproductive health considerations women with mental illness often experience.
Gaps Addressed: Research on the efficacy of RLP in improving reproductive outcomes in and tailoring for
women with mental illness is limited. Use of RLP in routine care and RLP interventions that specifically
address the unique needs of women Veterans with mental illness are even more lacking. Both represents
significant gaps that hamper the VHA’s ability to provide quality comprehensive health care for women
Veterans—gaps highlighted by the identification of reproductive mental health as a priority goal in the VHA’s
Strategic Plan for Enhancing Delivery of Reproductive Health Services and in the Women’s Health Research
Agenda. The current study attempts to address these gaps by examining the feasibility, acceptability, and
potential efficacy of a mental health-informed facilitated RLP/RLP goal setting intervention specifically
designed for women Veterans with mental illness (Reproductive Life Plan for Mental Health; RLP-MH).
Innovativeness: We adapted existing RLP materials to create an interactive, client-centered RLP
intervention specifically designed to address mental health considerations that can influence RLP decisions
and outcomes in women Veterans with mental illness. Women Veterans work with a facilitator to explore
pregnancy intentions and RLP goals; consider important factors that impact those goals (e.g. medical, mental
health or psychosocial concerns); and identify steps to address their RLP goals. As such, the RLP-MH
intervention may empower women Veterans with mental illness to take an active role in their reproductive
health and engage in behaviors that may improve reproductive outcomes. Thus, this project has the potential
to provide important services and improve reproductive outcomes for a group at risk for unplanned pregnancy
and poor reproductive outcomes.
Specific Aims: The specific aims of this study are to examine the: 1) feasibility, 2) acceptability, and 3) the
potential efficacy of the RLP-MH in...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10177903
- **Project number:** 5I21HX002708-02
- **Recipient organization:** BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** AMY L DRAPALSKI
- **Activity code:** I21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-01 → 2021-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10177903

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10177903, Reproductive Life Planning for Women Veterans with Mental Illness (5I21HX002708-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10177903. Licensed CC0.

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