The promise of birth control

Abstract

© 2015 by The Trustees of Princeton University, All rights reserved. Children born outside of marriage fare worse than children born to married parents, on average. Births to unwed mothers and single parenthood have other negative consequences, including increased spending on health care and social welfare programs. The majority of such births are unplanned. Greater access to birth control—particularly the newer, more effective types of birth control known as long-acting, reversible contraception—helps women delay childbearing until they and their partners are in a stable relationship, ready to marry, and ready to become parents. Attempts to expand voluntary use of long-acting contraception are being disrupted by political infighting.