Corinne Rocca, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Corinne Rocca is an epidemiologist whose work brings rigorous scientific evidence to the improvement of policies and clinical practice around contraception and abortion in the US and globally. Her research focuses on investigating how social and attitudinal factors contribute to pregnancy decision-making and reproductive well-being within the context of people’s relationships and lives. She employs advanced psychometric techniques, including item response modeling, to improve the measurement of latent social and attitudinal variables to better understand how they shape contraceptive and pregnancy decisions. For instance, her work is advancing how researchers conceptualize and measure pregnancy preferences and desires, allowing for ambivalence and uncertainty.
Dr. Rocca is leading the ADAPT Study, a longitudinal study examining pregnancy decision-making and care seeking, and the consequences of less desired pregnancy for women’s well-being. Other areas of research include individuals’ emotions after undesired pregnancy and access to medication abortion in Nepal. She has an MPH from Columbia University and a PhD from UC Berkeley and is a former NICHD Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) scholar.
Areas of interest:
- Pregnancy preferences and desires
- Pregnancy decision-making
- Contraceptive access and decision-making
- Latent variable measurement
- Reproductive Health disparities
- Post-abortion emotions
- Epidemiology
Education:
- University of California, San Francisco, Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Social Science and Reproductive Health
- University of California, Berkeley, Doctorate in Epidemiology
- Columbia University, Master's in Public Health
- Stanford University, Bachelor's in Human Biology
In the news:
- Debunking the "abortion regret" narrative: Data shows women feel relief, not regret (op-ed) | Salon
- Do women regret their abortions? Absolutely not! | Los Angeles Times
- Less that one percent of women regret their decision to have an abortion | Pacific Standard
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Transforming masculine norms to improve men's contraceptive acceptance: results from a pilot intervention with men in western Kenya. Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2023 Dec; 31(1):2170084. Newmann SJ, Zakaras JM, Rocca CH, Gorrindo P, Ndunyu L, Gitome S, Withers M, Bukusi EA, Dworkin SL. PMID: 36811906; PMCID: PMC9970212.
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Pregnancy recognition trajectories: a needed framework. Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2023 12; 31(1):2167552. Strong J, Coast E, Freeman E, Moore AM, Norris AH, Owolabi O, Rocca CH. PMID: 36799663.
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"She should support me, she's my doctor:" Patient perceptions of agency in contraceptive decision-making in the clinical encounter in Northern California. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2023 Jun; 55(2):94-103. Rao L, Rocca CH, Muñoz I, Chambers BD, Devaskar S, Asiodu IV, Stern L, Blum M, Comfort AB, Harper CC. PMID: 37216964.
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Desire to Avoid Pregnancy scale: clinical considerations and comparison with other questions about pregnancy preferences. BMJ Sex Reprod Health. 2023 07; 49(3):167-175. Hall JA, Barrett G, Stephenson JM, Edelman NL, Rocca C. PMID: 36717217; PMCID: PMC10359540.
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Commentary: The Turnaway Study: A case of self-correction in science upended by political motivation and unvetted findings. Front Psychol. 2022; 13:1003116. Biggs A, Foster DG, Gould H, Kimport K, Ralph L, Roberts S, Rocca C, Sisson G, Upadhyay U, Woodruff K. PMID: 36533007; PMCID: PMC9755483.View in: PubMed Mentions:
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Ranges of pregnancy preferences and contraceptive use: Results from a population-based survey in the southeast United States. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2022 09; 54(3):90-98. Rocca CH, Smith MG, Hale NL, Khoury AJ. PMID: 36071572.
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Agency in Contraceptive Decision-Making in Patient Care: a Psychometric Measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 05; 38(6):1366-1374. Harper CC, Rao L, Muñoz I, Stern L, Kerns JL, Parra M, Chambers BD, Rocca CH. PMID: 36070169; PMCID: PMC10160288.
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Forecasting the mental health harms of overturning Roe v Wade. BMJ. 2022 07 28; 378:o1890. Biggs MA, Rocca C. PMID: 35902111.
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Evaluation of the Desire to Avoid Pregnancy Scale in the UK: a psychometric analysis including predictive validity. BMJ Open. 2022 07 25; 12(7):e060287. Hall J, Barrett G, Rocca C. PMID: 35879004; PMCID: PMC9328097.
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Comparison of Pregnancy Preferences Preceding vs Year 1 of the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 07 01; 5(7):e2220093. Rocca CH, Parra M, Muñoz I, Foster DG, Boscardin WJ, Ralph LJ. PMID: 35788671; PMCID: PMC9257576.
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Predictors of prior unsuccessful pharmacy abortion attempts among women presenting for abortion in government certified clinics in Nepal. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2022 Oct; 159(1):160-165. Ahlbach C, Puri MC, Daniel S, Rocca CH, Karki S, Foster DG. PMID: 35152426; PMCID: PMC9372217.
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Measuring Men's Gender Norm Beliefs Related to Contraception: Development of the Masculine Norms and Family Planning Acceptance Scale. Arch Sex Behav. 2021 08; 50(6):2691-2702. Newmann SJ, Zakaras JM, Dworkin SL, Withers M, Ndunyu L, Gitome S, Gorrindo P, Bukusi EA, Rocca CH. PMID: 33821378; PMCID: PMC8416878.
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Desire to avoid pregnancy and contraceptive use among female methadone patients in Los Angeles. Contraception. 2021 05; 103(5):322-327. Gipson JD, Bornstein M, Berger A, Rocca CH. PMID: 33567322.
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Interprofessional Abortion Opposition: A National Survey and Qualitative Interviews with Abortion Training Program Directors at U.S. Teaching Hospitals. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2020 12; 52(4):235-244. Bennett AH, Freedman L, Landy U, Langton C, Ly E, Rocca CH. PMID: 33415806.
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Intrauterine Devices and Sexually Transmitted Infection among Older Adolescents and Young Adults in a Cluster Randomized Trial. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2021 Jun; 34(3):355-361. El Ayadi AM, Rocca CH, Averbach SH, Goodman S, Darney PD, Patel A, Harper CC. PMID: 33276125; PMCID: PMC8096684.
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Certainty and intention in pregnancy decision-making: An exploratory study. Contraception. 2021 02; 103(2):80-85. Rowland BB, Rocca CH, Ralph LJ. PMID: 33189708; PMCID: PMC8186868.
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Delayed Visits for Contraception Due to Concerns Regarding Pelvic Examination Among Women with History of Intimate Partner Violence. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 07; 36(7):1883-1889. Holt HK, Sawaya GF, El Ayadi AM, Henderson JT, Rocca CH, Westhoff CL, Harper CC. PMID: 33145695; PMCID: PMC8298732.
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Implementation science: Scaling a training intervention to include IUDs and implants in contraceptive services in primary care. Prev Med. 2020 12; 141:106290. Harper CC, Comfort AB, Blum M, Rocca CH, McCulloch CE, Rao L, Shah N, Oquendo Del Toro H, Goodman S. PMID: 33096126; PMCID: PMC8032203.
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Abortion Policies in U.S. Teaching Hospitals: Formal and Informal Parameters Beyond the Law. Obstet Gynecol. 2020 06; 135(6):1296-1305. Zeldovich VB, Rocca CH, Langton C, Landy U, Ly ES, Freedman LR. PMID: 32459421.
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Comparing Prospective and Retrospective Reports of Pregnancy Intention in a Longitudinal Cohort of U.S. Women. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2020 03; 52(1):39-48. Ralph LJ, Foster DG, Rocca CH. PMID: 32189427; PMCID: PMC8126343.
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One Key Question® and the Desire to Avoid Pregnancy Scale: A comparison of two approaches to asking about pregnancy preferences. Contraception. 2020 04; 101(4):231-236. Stulberg DB, Datta A, White VanGompel E, Schueler K, Rocca CH. PMID: 31935384.
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Pregnancy preferences and contraceptive use among US women. Contraception. 2020 02; 101(2):79-85. Samari G, Foster DG, Ralph LJ, Rocca CH. PMID: 31805265; PMCID: PMC7028518.
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Stability of Retrospective Pregnancy Intention Reporting Among Women with Unwanted Pregnancies in the United States. Matern Child Health J. 2019 Nov; 23(11):1547-1555. Rocca CH, Wilson MR, Jeon M, Foster DG. PMID: 31236825; PMCID: PMC6786959.
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Psychometric Evaluation of an Instrument to Measure Prospective Pregnancy Preferences: The Desire to Avoid Pregnancy Scale. Med Care. 2019 02; 57(2):152-158. Rocca CH, Ralph LJ, Wilson M, Gould H, Foster DG. PMID: 30550399; PMCID: PMC6331264.
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Comparison of Health, Development, Maternal Bonding, and Poverty Among Children Born After Denial of Abortion vs After Pregnancies Subsequent to an Abortion. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 11 01; 172(11):1053-1060. Foster DG, Biggs MA, Raifman S, Gipson J, Kimport K, Rocca CH. PMID: 30193363; PMCID: PMC6248140.
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Intended pregnancy after receiving vs. being denied a wanted abortion. Contraception. 2019 01; 99(1):42-47. Upadhyay UD, Aztlan-James EA, Rocca CH, Foster DG. PMID: 30244161.
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Pharmacy Provision of Medication Abortion in Nepal: Pharmacy Owner and Worker Perspectives. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2018 09 01; 44(3):81-89. Samari G, Puri M, Cohen R, Blum M, Rocca CH. PMID: 30698524.
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Gestational dating using last menstrual period and bimanual exam for medication abortion in pharmacies and health centers in Nepal. Contraception. 2018 10; 98(4):296-300. Averbach S, Puri M, Blum M, Rocca C. PMID: 29936150; PMCID: PMC6139283.
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The intrauterine device as emergency contraception: how much do young women know? Contraception. 2018 Apr 18. Goodman SR, El Ayadi AM, Rocca CH, Kohn JE, Benedict CE, Dieseldorff JR, Harper CC. PMID: 29679591; PMCID: PMC6546552.
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Training contraceptive providers to offer intrauterine devices and implants in contraceptive care: a cluster randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 06; 218(6):597.e1-597.e7. Thompson KMJ, Rocca CH, Stern L, Morfesis J, Goodman S, Steinauer J, Harper CC. PMID: 29577915; PMCID: PMC5970088.
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Effectiveness and safety of early medication abortion provided in pharmacies by auxiliary nurse-midwives: A non-inferiority study in Nepal. PLoS One. 2018; 13(1):e0191174. Rocca CH, Puri M, Shrestha P, Blum M, Maharjan D, Grossman D, Regmi K, Darney PD, Harper CC. PMID: 29351313; PMCID: PMC5774715.
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Contraceptive Use over Five Years After Receipt Or Denial of Abortion Services. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2018 03; 50(1):7-14. Moseson H, Foster DG, Upadhyay UD, Vittinghoff E, Rocca CH. PMID: 29329494; PMCID: PMC6657520.
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Contraception after medication abortion in the United States: results from a cluster randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 01; 218(1):107.e1-107.e8. Rocca CH, Goodman S, Grossman D, Cadwallader K, Thompson KMJ, Talmont E, Speidel JJ, Harper CC. PMID: 28986072; PMCID: PMC5997454.
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The impact of an IUD and implant intervention on dual method use among young women: Results from a cluster randomized trial. Prev Med. 2017 01; 94:1-6. El Ayadi AM, Rocca CH, Kohn JE, Velazquez D, Blum M, Newmann SJ, Harper CC. PMID: 27773708; PMCID: PMC6373723.
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Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Counseling and Use for Older Adolescents and Nulliparous Women. J Adolesc Health. 2016 12; 59(6):703-709. Gibbs SE, Rocca CH, Bednarek P, Thompson KMJ, Darney PD, Harper CC. PMID: 27665153; PMCID: PMC6653632.
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Does Integrating Family Planning into HIV Services Improve Gender Equitable Attitudes? Results from a Cluster Randomized Trial in Nyanza, Kenya. AIDS Behav. 2016 09; 20(9):1883-92. Newmann SJ, Rocca CH, Zakaras JM, Onono M, Bukusi EA, Grossman D, Cohen CR. PMID: 26837632; PMCID: PMC6657527.
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Public Funding for Contraception, Provider Training, and Use of Highly Effective Contraceptives: A Cluster Randomized Trial. Am J Public Health. 2016 Mar; 106(3):541-6. Thompson KM, Rocca CH, Kohn JE, Goodman S, Stern L, Blum M, Speidel JJ, Darney PD, Harper CC. PMID: 26794168; PMCID: PMC4816144.
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Funding policies and postabortion long-acting reversible contraception: results from a cluster randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Jun; 214(6):716.e1-8. Rocca CH, Thompson KM, Goodman S, Westhoff CL, Harper CC. PMID: 26692178; PMCID: PMC6005688.
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Service provider perspectives on post-abortion contraception in Nepal. Cult Health Sex. 2016; 18(2):223-35. Wang LF, Puri M, Rocca CH, Blum M, Henderson JT. PMID: 26372441.
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Decision Rightness and Emotional Responses to Abortion in the United States: A Longitudinal Study. PLoS One. 2015; 10(7):e0128832. Rocca CH, Kimport K, Roberts SC, Gould H, Neuhaus J, Foster DG. PMID: 26154386; PMCID: PMC4496083.
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Reductions in pregnancy rates in the USA with long-acting reversible contraception: a cluster randomised trial. Lancet. 2015 Aug 08; 386(9993):562-8. Harper CC, Rocca CH, Thompson KM, Morfesis J, Goodman S, Darney PD, Westhoff CL, Speidel JJ. PMID: 26091743.
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Development of a brief questionnaire to assess contraceptive intent. Patient Educ Couns. 2015 Nov; 98(11):1425-30. Raine-Bennett TR, Rocca CH. PMID: 26104994; PMCID: PMC4609226.
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Did increasing use of highly effective contraception contribute to declining abortions in Iowa? Contraception. 2015 Feb; 91(2):167-73. Biggs MA, Rocca CH, Brindis CD, Hirsch H, Grossman D. PMID: 25465890.
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Risk of violence from the man involved in the pregnancy after receiving or being denied an abortion. BMC Med. 2014 Sep 29; 12:144. Roberts SC, Biggs MA, Chibber KS, Gould H, Rocca CH, Foster DG. PMID: 25262880; PMCID: PMC4182793.
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Perceived stress and emotional social support among women who are denied or receive abortions in the United States: a prospective cohort study. BMC Womens Health. 2014 Jun 19; 14:76. Harris LF, Roberts SC, Biggs MA, Rocca CH, Foster DG. PMID: 24946971; PMCID: PMC4080695.
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Exploring young adults' contraceptive knowledge and attitudes: disparities by race/ethnicity and age. Womens Health Issues. 2014 May-Jun; 24(3):e281-9. Craig AD, Dehlendorf C, Borrero S, Harper CC, Rocca CH. PMID: 24725755; PMCID: PMC4119871.
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Availability and characteristics of abortion training in US ob-gyn residency programs: a national survey. Contraception. 2014 Apr; 89(4):271-7. Turk JK, Preskill F, Landy U, Rocca CH, Steinauer JE. PMID: 24461206.
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Regarding "identifying women at risk of unintended pregnancy: a comparison of two pregnancy readiness measures": measuring pregnancy intention. Ann Epidemiol. 2014 Jan; 24(1):78-9. Barrett G, Morroni C, Stephenson J, Hall J, Morof D, Rocca CH. PMID: 24263000.
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Receiving versus being denied an abortion and subsequent drug use. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014 Jan 01; 134:63-70. Roberts SCM, Rocca CH, Foster DG. PMID: 24183616.
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The authors reply. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2013 Jun; 45(2):113-4. Rocca CH, Harper CC, Raine-Bennett TR. PMID: 23901444.
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Racial and ethnic differences in men's knowledge and attitudes about contraception. Contraception. 2013 Oct; 88(4):532-8. Borrero S, Farkas A, Dehlendorf C, Rocca CH. PMID: 23697702; PMCID: PMC3758769.
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Pregnancy: not a disease but still a health risk. Contraception. 2013 Oct; 88(4):481-4. Speidel JJ, Rocca CH, Thompson KM, Harper CC. PMID: 23663918.
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Unsafe abortion after legalisation in Nepal: a cross-sectional study of women presenting to hospitals. BJOG. 2013 Aug; 120(9):1075-83. Rocca CH, Puri M, Dulal B, Bajracharya L, Harper CC, Blum M, Henderson JT. PMID: 23574112.
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Young women's perceptions of the benefits of childbearing: associations with contraceptive use and pregnancy. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2013 Mar; 45(1):23-32. Rocca CH, Harper CC, Raine-Bennett TR. PMID: 23489854; PMCID: PMC3620026.
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Acceptability and use of emergency contraception among married women in Bangalore, India. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2013 Apr; 121(1):64-8. Rocca CH, Shankar M, Sreevathsa A, Krishnan S. PMID: 23312589; PMCID: PMC3596499.
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Do racial and ethnic differences in contraceptive attitudes and knowledge explain disparities in method use? Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2012 Sep; 44(3):150-8. Rocca CH, Harper CC. PMID: 22958659.
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Predictive ability and stability of adolescents' pregnancy intentions in a predominantly Latino community. Stud Fam Plann. 2010 Sep; 41(3):179-92. Rocca CH, Hubbard AE, Johnson-Hanks J, Padian NS, Minnis AM. PMID: 21469271; PMCID: PMC3265987.
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Pregnancy intentions and teenage pregnancy among Latinas: a mediation analysis. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2010 Sep; 42(3):186-96. Rocca CH, Doherty I, Padian NS, Hubbard AE, Minnis AM. PMID: 20887287; PMCID: PMC2951312.
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Valid and precise measurement. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2010 Sep; 42(3):220-1; author reply 221. Barrett G, Morof D, Rocca CH. PMID: 20887297.
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Measuring pregnancy planning: An assessment of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy among urban, south Indian women. Demogr Res. 2010 Aug 06; 23:293-334. Rocca CH, Krishnan S, Barrett G, Wilson M. PMID: 21170147; PMCID: PMC3001625.
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Do changes in spousal employment status lead to domestic violence? Insights from a prospective study in Bangalore, India. Soc Sci Med. 2010 Jan; 70(1):136-43. Krishnan S, Rocca CH, Hubbard AE, Subbiah K, Edmeades J, Padian NS. PMID: 19828220; PMCID: PMC2791993.
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Challenging assumptions about women's empowerment: social and economic resources and domestic violence among young married women in urban South India. Int J Epidemiol. 2009 Apr; 38(2):577-85. Rocca CH, Rathod S, Falle T, Pande RP, Krishnan S. PMID: 18952621; PMCID: PMC2734072.
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Beyond access: acceptability, use and nonuse of emergency contraception among young women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Jan; 196(1):29.e1-6; discussion 90.e1-5. Rocca CH, Schwarz EB, Stewart FH, Darney PD, Raine TR, Harper CC. PMID: 17240221.
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Direct access to emergency contraception through pharmacies and effect on unintended pregnancy and STIs: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2005 Jan 05; 293(1):54-62. Raine TR, Harper CC, Rocca CH, Fischer R, Padian N, Klausner JD, Darney PD. PMID: 15632336.
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The other half of the equation: Serving young men in a young women's reproductive health clinic. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2003 Sep-Oct; 35(5):208-14. Raine T, Marcell AV, Rocca CH, Harper CC. PMID: 14668023.