Faced with job losses and disruption from the pandemic, women find it more challenging in 2020 to access birth control, a critical aspect of women’s health
San Francisco – November 18, 2020 – Medicines360, a global nonprofit women’s health pharmaceutical organization fighting to make access to medicines for all women a reality, today released the results of a survey finding that barriers for women have increased when it comes to accessing birth control, as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of 1,200 women ages 18-34 found that more than half (54%) of respondents have encountered barriers to accessing birth control, up from 46% in 2019[1].
Women of color are disproportionally impacted by barriers to birth control. Latina women were more likely to report barriers to access (61% vs 54% of all women 18-34), and Black women reported facing additional barriers to information on their full range of options. Black women are significantly more likely (24%) than White (12%) and Latina women (15%) to have no awareness of hormonal IUDs, one of the most effective methods of birth control.[2] Not only does race impact access, geography also plays a role, with more women in the Midwest (40%) reporting they did not know their options (versus 29% of all women 18-34 who reported encountering barriers).
Systemic barriers lead to widespread disparities and restrict birth control access and choice for too many women. On top of that, stigma and a constant politicizing of reproductive health has left women lacking answers and unsure where to turn for help. Of the women who faced barriers accessing birth control, the top reasons cited were feeling uncomfortable having open conversations (39%), cost (31%) and not knowing their options (29%).
“The healthcare system is overwhelmed, many transportation and childcare services are closed, people are scared to leave their homes and an unprecedented number of women are finding themselves out of work. All of this can make it almost impossible for some women to get birth control and take care of their reproductive health,” said Jessica Grossman, M.D., CEO of Medicines360. “The COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating the challenges too many people were already experiencing when trying to get birth control. Now more than ever, it’s critical that patients have the resources and information they need to prioritize their reproductive health.”
In addition, access barriers take an emotional toll. More than half (54%) of women reported negative experiences accessing or trying to access birth control, with feeling awkward (33%) and anxious (29%) as the top drivers. Even though most women (88%) in the survey currently use or have used FDA-approved birth control, ongoing attacks on women’s health and the pandemic are making access difficult for too many women.
Amid this prolonged period of uncertainty, having a trusted source to speak with is more critical than ever to help enable women to maintain their bodily autonomy. When it comes to talking about birth control, 41% of women cited their healthcare providers (HCPs) such as doctors, nurses, counselors or health clinics as those they felt most comfortable talking about birth control with. A smaller portion of women cited their significant others (23%) and friends (19%) as the person they felt most comfortable talking to.
“It’s critical that HCPs continue to serve as their patients’ biggest advocates, especially right now when so much is uncertain,” Dr. Grossman noted. “Women who don’t have an OBGYN or primary care physician still have options when it comes to birth control. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are on the front lines of caring for women across the country right now. These neighborhood health centers provide comprehensive care for free or low cost to women who are under- or uninsured.”
FQHCs deliver publicly funded family planning care to approximately two million women each year across the U.S. at 13,000 sites.[3] FQHCs have sliding fee scales for uninsured patients to make care affordable and accessible, making these an important resource for women facing challenges such as losing insurance.
This survey was conducted as part of Medicines360’s ongoing #NotAwkward campaign. #NotAwkward is part of Medicines360’s commitment to using education to remove the barriers women face when seeking birth control. Among other efforts, the organization provides its hormonal IUD to qualifying public health centers at a price substantially below the 340B ceiling price set by statute. Medicines360 is also actively working to expand access to hormonal IUDs to women across the globe, most recently in Madagascar and Zambia.
To learn more about the campaign and to hear women’s stories about birth control access, visit https://www.medicines360.org/women. To share your story on Twitter or Instagram, use #NotAwkward.
The survey was conducted on behalf of Medicines360 by Southpaw Insights.
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About Medicines360
Medicines360, located in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit global women’s health pharmaceutical company with a mission to remove cost as a barrier to health by developing and providing affordable Women’s Health products. Medicines360 is committed to working with healthcare providers, advocacy groups and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help women around the world have greater access to the medicines they need. For more information, visit www.medicines360.org
Survey Methodology
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from Southpaw Insights. Total sample size was 1,000 women, ages 18-34. An additional 200 women who are self-reported current users of a hormonal IUD were also surveyed. The survey was conducted online from September 2-20, 2020. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US women aged 18-34.
About Southpaw Insights
Southpaw Insights designs and executes qualitative and quantitative research. We combine creative methodologies and a unique way of looking at the world with smart, sophisticated analytic techniques to help you understand what people think, feel and do, so you can make smarter decisions. More about Southpaw can be found at www.southpawinsights.com.
[1] https://www.medicines360.org/2019/09/16/medicines360-launches-notawkward-campaign/
[2] https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/iud/how-effective-are-iuds
[3] https://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/healthcenterprogram/index.html
