Access to these services is shaped by a broad range of factors including coverage and affordability, national and state policies, availability of care, health provider characteristics, as well as individual preferences and experiences.
For many women, the Affordable Care Act ACA improved access to sexual and reproductive health care by expanding pathways to Medicaid eligibility and making private insurance more affordable.
The ACA also required private health insurance plans to cover many recommended preventive services without any patient cost-sharing, such as sexually transmitted infection counseling and screening and all 18 FDA-approved contraceptive methods. While the ACA has expanded sexual and reproductive health care, state and federal policy actions in recent years have resulted in more limited access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion referrals and services, particularly for women who depend on publicly supported health care providers and clinics.
Access in the past year has also been undoubtedly affected by the COVID pandemic, which has forced providers to find ways to make contraceptive and STI services available via telehealth or through minimal contact, like no-test medication abortions. While the system is undergoing constant change, the perspectives and experiences of women in obtaining sexual and reproductive health care can help to shape the next generation of policies and programs. This brief presents survey findings on coverage and use of reproductive and sexual health services among different subgroups of 2, women ages 18 to These data speak to the fact that even though women are not necessarily trying to get pregnant, they may be open to having a pregnancy and may not want to use contraception.
Six in ten sexually active women report using a method of contraception the last time they had sex compared to four in ten men, regardless of current partner status Figure 3. Condom use at last sex was lower. This differed significantly by whether someone was married or living with their partner compared to not.
