Did Contraceptive Use Patterns Change after the Affordable Care Act? A Descriptive Analysis

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Health Policy
• Contraception Access

Background:

• The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded insurance coverage, particularly for women of reproductive age.
• ACA mandates no-cost coverage for prescription contraceptives, potentially influencing uptake.
• This study investigates the impact of these provisions on contraceptive use patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in contraceptive use among women aged 18-39 before and after key ACA provisions.
• To determine if increased insurance coverage and no-cost contraception led to shifts in contraceptive methods.

Main Methods:

• Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in fall 2012 and spring 2015, involving 8,062 women aged 18-39.
• Logistic regression analysis was used to assess changes in contraceptive use patterns.
• Demographic characteristics were adjusted for in the analysis.

Main Results:

• No significant changes in overall contraceptive use patterns were observed among sexually active women.
• However, the use of oral contraceptive pills nearly doubled, from 21% to 40%, among women aged 18-24 who had not recently had sex.
• Many young women reported using the pill for reasons beyond pregnancy prevention.

Conclusions:

• The ACA's full impact on contraceptive use may not yet be evident.
• Further research is needed to understand evolving contraceptive access and care sources.
• The findings highlight the importance of non-contraceptive benefits of oral contraceptives for young women.