Despite the overwhelming popularity of birth control — nearly 90% of American women have used contraception in their lives and nearly 80% of Americans support birth control as essential health care — millions of women across the country have little to no realistic access.
This is especially true for uninsured women and communities of color, with one in three Black and Latino women reporting that they are not using the birth control they want. An estimated 19 million women live in contraceptive deserts.
Contraceptive access has been further constrained amid ideological policy battles in which activists have worked to lump birth control in with abortion, politicizing contraception and stripping funding from providers that serve people with the greatest needs, including low-income and uninsured individuals.
In this episode of Deep Dive, Laura Arnold sits down with three guests to examine contraceptive equity, explore the barriers to giving women true choice and discuss potential policy solutions that could help close the gaps in access.
Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley is an OB/GYN and CEO of Power to Decide, the campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Fatima Goss Graves is president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center and has worked across a broad set of issues, including income security, health and reproductive rights, educational access, and workplace fairness. Jessica Sanders is a family planning researcher and advocate working in Utah to elevate family planning and drive contraceptive access.
How to listen
Listen to the podcast in the player above or on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.
About the host
Laura Arnold is the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Arnold Ventures, founded in 2010, and an attorney and former oil company executive. Read more about her here.
