Improving opportunity through access to family planning

Nearly half of the 6.1 million yearly pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. These unplanned pregnancies, whether unwanted or mistimed, can create negative outcomes for children and families. In recent years, greater access to birth control, particularly the more effective types of birth control known as long-acting, reversible contraception (LARCs), have empowered women to only have children if, when, and with whom they want. Several states and organizations have been trailblazers in increasing the availability of family planning information and access to the full range of contraceptive methods, so that women can make the best decisions for themselves and their families. Such access will be more important than ever should restrictions on abortion become more prevalent in the future.

On June 24, the Future of the Middle Class Initiative hosted an event marking the release of a new report by Brookings Senior Fellow Isabel Sawhill and Senior Research Assistant Katherine Guyot. The event featured former Governor Jack Markell, who led the path-breaking efforts in Delaware to reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancies. The panels that followed focus on state experiences and efforts, new approaches to reducing unplanned pregnancies, and what the research says about their success.