Asian American Research Journal

Sexual and reproductive health is often framed as a matter of individual knowledge and choice, but contraceptive decision-making is also shaped by family communication, cultural expectations, stigma, health-system knowledge, and access to trusted information. Asian American young adults remain understudied in reproductive health research, despite evidence that sexuality may be discussed infrequently in some families and communities. This exploratory mixed-methods survey examined contraceptive knowledge, sexual-health communication, stigma, information seeking, and contraceptive experiences among 13 Asian American respondents affiliated with UC Berkeley. The 13-question online survey included multiple-choice, rating-scale, check-all-that-apply, and open-ended items. Although recruitment primarily targeted current students assigned female at birth who self-identified as Asian American, the final sample also included one visiting scholar and two recent graduates.

Participants showed high awareness of common contraceptive methods, with all 13 recognizing birth-control pills and condoms, 12 recognizing the arm implant, and nine recognizing both hormonal and copper IUDs. However, broader reproductive-health literacy was less consistent. Ten respondents (76.9%) were unaware of Affordable Care Act contraceptive coverage, nine (69.2%) were unsure whether their insurance covered contraception or believed it did not, and ten (76.9%) reported stigma around discussing sex or contraception in their cultural communities. All respondents selected online sources as a place they would seek abortion information. Open-ended responses highlighted reproductive autonomy, pregnancy prevention, accessibility, side effects, and misinformation. Overall, the findings suggest a gap between recognizing contraceptive methods and having the knowledge, confidence, and support needed to navigate reproductive health care in the Asian American community.