The War on Birth Control Is Already Here for 121 Million Americans
Last week, new data dropped that everyone needs to hear: 121 million people—over a third of the U.S.—now live in states actively restricting access to birth control.
Let that sink in.
While most Americans focus the conversation on reproductive rights around abortion bans conservative lawmakers have been busy chipping away at something even more foundational: your right to prevent pregnancy.
And it’s not just politicians. It’s influencers. It’s justices. It’s state legislatures. It’s an entire coordinated effort—and it’s already impacting millions.
What we know:
New data released last week shows:
121 million Americans live in states restricting contraception access.
The most restrictive include Kansas, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Wyoming—where policies can allow providers to opt out of care or require parental consent.
States like California, New York, and Oregon are doing the most to protect access, with laws requiring no-cost insurance coverage and expanded prescriber networks.
But 18 states fall somewhere in the middle.
So yes, where you live now determines whether you can get the birth control you need. And that’s not an accident—it’s the plan.
The Birth Control Disinformation Pipeline
Scroll through social media and you’ll see it: a wave of influencers warning about the “dangers” of birth control. Many are backed by far-right organizations or aligned with religious extremism. They’ll say things like:
“Birth control ruined my hormones.”
“You don’t need the pill—just track your cycle.”
These videos might seem harmless—or even empowering. But they’re part of a coordinated campaign to create distrust in contraception just as conservative lawmakers and courts move to roll back access.
Let’s connect the dots:
Courts lay the groundwork: In 2022, Justice Clarence Thomas called for the Court to reconsider Griswold v. Connecticut—the case that first guaranteed the right to contraception.
Influencers normalize anti-contraception rhetoric online.
Legislators introduce bill
This isn’t about protecting women’s health. It’s about controlling our bodies. Full stop.
What They Don’t Want You to Know About Birth Control
Let’s bust a few myths:
Birth control is medicine.
58% of people on the pill use it to treat conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, and PCOS—not just to prevent pregnancy.It’s a racial justice issue.
Black women are 3x more likely to suffer from fibroids. Latinas are disproportionately impacted by PCOS. Blocking access deepens existing disparities.It’s an education and economic issue.
When the pill became legally accessible to single women, college enrollment soared. Access to birth control before age 20 significantly increases economic mobility.It’s public health.
When Texas defunded Planned Parenthood, 45,000 fewer women received care—and contraceptive use plummeted. In Indiana, clinic closures sparked an HIV outbreak.This backlash is calculated.
They're pushing anti-contraception content now on purpose—to make birth control seem unnecessary, so when it’s taken away, the backlash is softer.
What is reproductive care?
From the Supreme Court’s ruling in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic to Trump’s Budget Bill, one thing has become painfully clear: many people, especially those in political power, are using “abortion” and “reproductive health care” interchangeably.
And that’s a problem.
Yes, abortion is a form of reproductive health care—but it is just one piece of a much broader system of care that millions of people, especially low-income individuals, women of color, and LGBTQ+ people, rely on to survive and thrive. When we treat abortion as the only piece of reproductive care under threat, we ignore the devastating ripple effects that these policies have on access to cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, maternal care, and more. It’s not just a talking point—it’s a matter of life and death.
So- What Is Reproductive Health Care?
Reproductive health care is a full spectrum of services designed to support people through every stage of their reproductive lives. That includes:
Birth control and family planning
Prenatal, pregnancy, and postpartum care
STI and HIV testing and treatment
Cancer screenings, like Pap smears and mammograms
Menstrual and menopause care
Gender-affirming care for LGBTQ+ people
And yes, abortion care
These are basic, essential services. And for millions of people, especially those in rural or medically underserved areas, Planned Parenthood is the only place offering them. In fact, 64% of Planned Parenthood health centers are in communities with few or no other options.
Why This Moment Matters
The Supreme Court just ruled in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic that Medicaid patients can have their access to providers like Planned Parenthood. At the same time, conservative states are pushing legislation to defund clinics entirely—impacting not just abortion, but all reproductive care, including birth control.
When we act like reproductive health care is only about abortion, we let them gut the whole system under our noses.
Here’s the truth:
One in five women of reproductive age uses Medicaid to access care.
64% of Planned Parenthood clinics are located in areas with no other options.
Reproductive health care includes cancer screenings, STI testing, maternal care, and yes—birth control.
This is about everything.
The Bottom Line
Birth control is essential care. It’s freedom. It’s safety. It’s agency.
If you don’t want to take it—great. That’s your choice. But that choice only matters if we still have one.
Right now, 121 million Americans are watching that freedom slip away, often without realizing it.
We can’t wait until after the rights are gone to fight for them.
The war on birth control is already here. It’s time to wake up.