Corinne Rocca, PhD, MPH

Full Professor In Residence
Ob/Gyn, 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 structural 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 is a former NICHD Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) scholar and is Professor in UCSF’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.

Publications: 

Correcting the scientific record on abortion and mental health outcomes.

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)

Littell JH, Abel KM, Biggs MA, Blum RW, Foster DG, Haddad LB, Major B, Munk-Olsen T, Polis CB, Robinson GE, Rocca CH, Russo NF, Steinberg JR, Stewart DE, Stotland NL, Upadhyay UD, van Ditzhuijzen J

Measuring a Critical Component of Contraceptive Decision Making: The Contraceptive Concerns and Beliefs Scale.

Maternal and child health journal

Rocca CH, Muñoz I, Rao L, Levin S, Tzvieli O, Harper CC

Pregnancy recognition trajectories: a needed framework.

Sexual and reproductive health matters

Strong J, Coast E, Freeman E, Moore AM, Norris AH, Owolabi O, Rocca CH

Transforming masculine norms to improve men's contraceptive acceptance: results from a pilot intervention with men in western Kenya.

Sexual and reproductive health matters

Newmann SJ, Zakaras JM, Rocca CH, Gorrindo P, Ndunyu L, Gitome S, Withers M, Bukusi EA, Dworkin SL

Predictive ability of the Desire to Avoid Pregnancy scale.

Reproductive health

Hall JA, Barrett G, Stephenson J, Rocca CH, Edelman N

"She should support me, she's my doctor:" Patient perceptions of agency in contraceptive decision-making in the clinical encounter in Northern California.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Rao L, Rocca CH, Muñoz I, Chambers BD, Devaskar S, Asiodu IV, Stern L, Blum M, Comfort AB, Harper CC

Desire to Avoid Pregnancy scale: clinical considerations and comparison with other questions about pregnancy preferences.

BMJ sexual & reproductive health

Hall JA, Barrett G, Stephenson JM, Edelman NL, Rocca C

Commentary: The Turnaway Study: A case of self-correction in science upended by political motivation and unvetted findings.

Frontiers in psychology

Biggs A, Foster DG, Gould H, Kimport K, Ralph L, Roberts S, Rocca C, Sisson G, Upadhyay U, Woodruff K

Agency in Contraceptive Decision-Making in Patient Care: a Psychometric Measure.

Journal of general internal medicine

Harper CC, Rao L, Muñoz I, Stern L, Kerns JL, Parra M, Chambers BD, Rocca CH

Ranges of pregnancy preferences and contraceptive use: Results from a population-based survey in the southeast United States.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Rocca CH, Smith MG, Hale NL, Khoury AJ

Forecasting the mental health harms of overturning Roe v Wade.

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)

Biggs MA, Rocca C

Comparison of Pregnancy Preferences Preceding vs Year 1 of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

JAMA network open

Rocca CH, Parra M, Muñoz I, Foster DG, Boscardin WJ, Ralph LJ

Predictors of prior unsuccessful pharmacy abortion attempts among women presenting for abortion in government certified clinics in Nepal.

International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Ahlbach C, Puri MC, Daniel S, Rocca CH, Karki S, Foster DG

Measuring Men's Gender Norm Beliefs Related to Contraception: Development of the Masculine Norms and Family Planning Acceptance Scale.

Archives of sexual behavior

Newmann SJ, Zakaras JM, Dworkin SL, Withers M, Ndunyu L, Gitome S, Gorrindo P, Bukusi EA, Rocca CH

Interprofessional Abortion Opposition: A National Survey and Qualitative Interviews with Abortion Training Program Directors at U.S. Teaching Hospitals.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Bennett AH, Freedman L, Landy U, Langton C, Ly E, Rocca CH

Intrauterine Devices and Sexually Transmitted Infection among Older Adolescents and Young Adults in a Cluster Randomized Trial.

Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology

El Ayadi AM, Rocca CH, Averbach SH, Goodman S, Darney PD, Patel A, Harper CC

Delayed Visits for Contraception Due to Concerns Regarding Pelvic Examination Among Women with History of Intimate Partner Violence.

Journal of general internal medicine

Holt HK, Sawaya GF, El Ayadi AM, Henderson JT, Rocca CH, Westhoff CL, Harper CC

Implementation science: Scaling a training intervention to include IUDs and implants in contraceptive services in primary care.

Preventive medicine

Harper CC, Comfort AB, Blum M, Rocca CH, McCulloch CE, Rao L, Shah N, Oquendo Del Toro H, Goodman S

Abortion Policies in U.S. Teaching Hospitals: Formal and Informal Parameters Beyond the Law.

Obstetrics and gynecology

Zeldovich VB, Rocca CH, Langton C, Landy U, Ly ES, Freedman LR

Comparing Prospective and Retrospective Reports of Pregnancy Intention in a Longitudinal Cohort of U.S. Women.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Ralph LJ, Foster DG, Rocca CH

Pregnancy preferences and contraceptive use among US women.

Contraception

Samari G, Foster DG, Ralph LJ, Rocca CH

Effects of Carrying an Unwanted Pregnancy to Term on Women's Existing Children.

The Journal of pediatrics

Foster DG, Raifman SE, Gipson JD, Rocca CH, Biggs MA

Intended pregnancy after receiving vs. being denied a wanted abortion.

Contraception

Upadhyay UD, Aztlan-James EA, Rocca CH, Foster DG

Pharmacy Provision of Medication Abortion in Nepal: Pharmacy Owner and Worker Perspectives.

International perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Samari G, Puri M, Cohen R, Blum M, Rocca CH

Pharmacy access to medical abortion from trained providers and post-abortion contraception in Nepal.

International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Puri MC, Harper CC, Maharjan D, Blum M, Rocca CH

The intrauterine device as emergency contraception: how much do young women know?

Contraception

Goodman SR, El Ayadi AM, Rocca CH, Kohn JE, Benedict CE, Dieseldorff JR, Harper CC

Training contraceptive providers to offer intrauterine devices and implants in contraceptive care: a cluster randomized trial.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

Thompson KMJ, Rocca CH, Stern L, Morfesis J, Goodman S, Steinauer J, Harper CC

Effectiveness and safety of early medication abortion provided in pharmacies by auxiliary nurse-midwives: A non-inferiority study in Nepal.

PloS one

Rocca CH, Puri M, Shrestha P, Blum M, Maharjan D, Grossman D, Regmi K, Darney PD, Harper CC

Contraceptive Use over Five Years After Receipt Or Denial of Abortion Services.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Moseson H, Foster DG, Upadhyay UD, Vittinghoff E, Rocca CH

Contraception after medication abortion in the United States: results from a cluster randomized trial.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

Rocca CH, Goodman S, Grossman D, Cadwallader K, Thompson KMJ, Talmont E, Speidel JJ, Harper CC

The impact of an IUD and implant intervention on dual method use among young women: Results from a cluster randomized trial.

Preventive medicine

El Ayadi AM, Rocca CH, Kohn JE, Velazquez D, Blum M, Newmann SJ, Harper CC

Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Counseling and Use for Older Adolescents and Nulliparous Women.

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine

Gibbs SE, Rocca CH, Bednarek P, Thompson KMJ, Darney PD, Harper CC

Public Funding for Contraception, Provider Training, and Use of Highly Effective Contraceptives: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

American journal of public health

Thompson KM, Rocca CH, Kohn JE, Goodman S, Stern L, Blum M, Speidel JJ, Darney PD, Harper CC

Funding policies and postabortion long-acting reversible contraception: results from a cluster randomized trial.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

Rocca CH, Thompson KM, Goodman S, Westhoff CL, Harper CC

Service provider perspectives on post-abortion contraception in Nepal.

Culture, health & sexuality

Wang LF, Puri M, Rocca CH, Blum M, Henderson JT

Decision Rightness and Emotional Responses to Abortion in the United States: A Longitudinal Study.

PloS one

Rocca CH, Kimport K, Roberts SC, Gould H, Neuhaus J, Foster DG

Reductions in pregnancy rates in the USA with long-acting reversible contraception: a cluster randomised trial.

Lancet (London, England)

Harper CC, Rocca CH, Thompson KM, Morfesis J, Goodman S, Darney PD, Westhoff CL, Speidel JJ

Development of a brief questionnaire to assess contraceptive intent.

Patient education and counseling

Raine-Bennett TR, Rocca CH

Contraceptive discontinuation and pregnancy postabortion in Nepal: a longitudinal cohort study.

Contraception

Puri M, Henderson JT, Harper CC, Blum M, Joshi D, Rocca CH

Did increasing use of highly effective contraception contribute to declining abortions in Iowa?

Contraception

Biggs MA, Rocca CH, Brindis CD, Hirsch H, Grossman D

Risk of violence from the man involved in the pregnancy after receiving or being denied an abortion.

BMC medicine

Roberts SC, Biggs MA, Chibber KS, Gould H, Rocca CH, Foster DG

Postabortion contraception a decade after legalization of abortion in Nepal.

International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Rocca CH, Puri M, Harper CC, Blum M, Dulal B, Henderson JT

Exploring young adults' contraceptive knowledge and attitudes: disparities by race/ethnicity and age.

Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health

Craig AD, Dehlendorf C, Borrero S, Harper CC, Rocca CH

Receiving versus being denied an abortion and subsequent drug use.

Drug and alcohol dependence

Roberts SCM, Rocca CH, Foster DG

Women's emotions one week after receiving or being denied an abortion in the United States.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Rocca CH, Kimport K, Gould H, Foster DG

The authors reply.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Rocca CH, Harper CC, Raine-Bennett TR

Racial and ethnic differences in men's knowledge and attitudes about contraception.

Contraception

Borrero S, Farkas A, Dehlendorf C, Rocca CH

Pregnancy: not a disease but still a health risk.

Contraception

Speidel JJ, Rocca CH, Thompson KM, Harper CC

Unsafe abortion after legalisation in Nepal: a cross-sectional study of women presenting to hospitals.

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

Rocca CH, Puri M, Dulal B, Bajracharya L, Harper CC, Blum M, Henderson JT

Young women's perceptions of the benefits of childbearing: associations with contraceptive use and pregnancy.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Rocca CH, Harper CC, Raine-Bennett TR

Acceptability and use of emergency contraception among married women in Bangalore, India.

International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Rocca CH, Shankar M, Sreevathsa A, Krishnan S

Predictive ability and stability of adolescents' pregnancy intentions in a predominantly Latino community.

Studies in family planning

Rocca CH, Hubbard AE, Johnson-Hanks J, Padian NS, Minnis AM

Pregnancy intentions and teenage pregnancy among Latinas: a mediation analysis.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Rocca CH, Doherty I, Padian NS, Hubbard AE, Minnis AM

Valid and precise measurement.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Barrett G, Morof D, Rocca CH

Do changes in spousal employment status lead to domestic violence? Insights from a prospective study in Bangalore, India.

Social science & medicine (1982)

Krishnan S, Rocca CH, Hubbard AE, Subbiah K, Edmeades J, Padian NS

Beyond access: acceptability, use and nonuse of emergency contraception among young women.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

Rocca CH, Schwarz EB, Stewart FH, Darney PD, Raine TR, Harper CC

The effect of increased access to emergency contraception among young adolescents.

Obstetrics and gynecology

Harper CC, Cheong M, Rocca CH, Darney PD, Raine TR

Tolerability of levonorgestrel emergency contraception in adolescents.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology

Harper CC, Rocca CH, Darney PD, von Hertzen H, Raine TR

The other half of the equation: Serving young men in a young women's reproductive health clinic.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Raine T, Marcell AV, Rocca CH, Harper CC