Relentless Attacks Increase Contraceptive Barriers
A key component of reproductive well-being is access to high-quality contraceptive care that aligns with personal preferences. However, for many people, barriers to contraceptive access persist—and they’re only growing more severe as harmful policies continue to advance.
At the federal level, the President’s FY 26 Budget Proposal includes several harmful provisions targeting abortion and contraception. This includes a measure to defund the Title X Family Planning Program (Title X). While the President’s budget is only a request and the decision to support the President’s request is ultimately up to Congress, there have been persistent attempts in previous appropriations cycles to defund Title X. Further the program faces additional attacks as some Title X grantees have had their funding withheld due to executive actions. The damage to communities relying on these clinics has already been done. We know that changes in the Title X program leave individuals without access to high quality care, often resulting in people using a less preferred birth control method—or stopping contraception all together.
Most recently, the Supreme Court’s decision in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic delivered another blow, effectively barring Medicaid patients in South Carolina from receiving care at Planned Parenthood. The Medina decision sets a dangerous precedent, potentially paving the way for other states to pursue similar restrictions that disproportionately impact low-income individuals. This decision came down just one week before Congress passed and the President signed HR 1, the so-called “Big, beautiful bill.” This law will cause harm to millions and result in increased barriers to health care including “defund Planned Parenthood” language that would bar Medicaid recipients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood clinics for one year. While litigation is ongoing, if implemented this will leave millions of people who rely on Planned Parenthood for their care, including contraception, with nowhere to go for care. From previous attempts to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid, we know this creates significant barriers to contraceptive care for Medicaid enrollees.
And these most recent changes are happening against the backdrop of an already volatile landscape for reproductive and sexual health in the wake of Dobbs. In the three years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—which overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortion—the reproductive health care landscape has changed dramatically. In 13 states, abortion is banned entirely, and clinics that once provided a broad spectrum of reproductive health services have been forced to close. When abortion clinics close, communities lose more than just abortion access—they lose trusted providers of comprehensive reproductive health care. Many of these clinics also offer contraception, STI testing, cancer screenings, and more. Their closures create ripple effects that extend far beyond abortion services.
Unsurprisingly, the Dobbs decision has significantly influenced people’s contraceptive choices. A recent survey found that nearly 1 in 5 women changed their contraceptive practices in response to Dobbs, including starting birth control or switching methods. Another study reported an increase in permanent contraceptive procedures, such as tubal ligations. Providers in both restrictive and non-restrictive states also report a rise in demand for IUDs and implants. Young people, in particular, have voiced concerns about what Dobbs means for their future access to contraception. And yet, despite this growing demand, accessing contraceptive care is becoming increasingly difficult.
Amid these policy attacks, misinformation and disinformation about contraception are spreading rapidly—especially on platforms like TikTok. Myths about birth control persist, and young people often lack access to trusted, accurate information. Data from Power to Decide’s Youth Reproductive Health Access Survey (YouR HeAlth) Survey show significant gaps in young people’s knowledge about contraception and highlights the lack of trusted sources, such as health care providers.
If these attacks feel relentless, it’s because they are. In this challenging environment, Power to Decide remains more committed than ever to ensuring that everyone, particularly young people, have the information they need to make informed choices—and the systems in place to act on those choices. We continue to track clinic access and document the impact of policy changes on communities through our contraceptive deserts, so that we know exactly what access looks like. Our digital platform, Bedsider, offers medically accurate, accessible information about birth control and other sexual and reproductive health topics. It also features a clinic finder tool to help users locate in-person or online providers who can meet their needs.
The attacks on abortion, contraception, and reproductive well-being are not new—but they are intensifying. While the challenges are real and the road ahead is difficult, Power to Decide remains unwavering in our mission: to ensure that everyone—especially young people—has access to the information and care they need to live life on their own terms.
