A study recently released by the Guttmacher Institute found that 28 million American women annually are at risk for an unintended pregnancy every year. The study (see PDF) found that half of women seeking to avoid pregnancy remain at risk, through inconsistent or incorrect use of contraceptives, periods of non-use of contraceptives, or no use at all.
“Helping women who do not want to become pregnant to use contraceptives more effectively is sound public policy that will reduce unintended pregnancy. In order to do that, it is critical to have a better understanding of what is preventing women from using contraception consistently and correctlyor even at all,” said study author Jennifer Frost in a press release.
The study found a number of factors impeding effective use of contraceptives by women, including lack of affordable access to birth control, major life events interrupting contraceptive use, and dissatisfaction with the currently-used birth control method, reports Reuters.
Learn more! Visit Feminist Campus’s Birth Control Access Campaign.
