Maternal Communication About Sexual Content and Ease of Access to Contraceptives

Previous literature has emphasized the role of mothers in sexual health communication with their adolescents. However, the extant literature lacks exploration of the importance of parental communication in association to specific risk-reduction behaviors, such as access to contraceptives. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the roles of parental attachment, the mother–daughter relationship, and communication about sexual content during adolescence in relation to women’s recalled access to contraceptives during their teen years. Cisgender female participants aged between 18 and 35 (N = 582) were retrospectively assessed on maternal and paternal attachment, the mother–daughter relationship, mother–daughter communication about sexual content, and their own access to contraceptives during their teen years. After controlling for socioeconomic status, participant race, and history of pregnancy, only maternal communication about sexual content significantly related to access to contraceptives and ease of access to contraceptives. These results demonstrated that specific communication about sexual content was associated with greater access and ease of access to contraceptives, whereas more general relationship factors and communication did not.