War Eagle or Crimson Tide? A lake vacation or a trip to the beach? There are a number of things Alabamians will vehemently disagree over. But when it comes to contraception, nearly everyone is on the same side.
Using pills, patches or other devices to prevent pregnancies is nearly universal among those of reproductive age capable of giving birth. According to information from KFF—a leading health publication—a survey conducted in 2024 found that more than 80 percent of all women ages 18 to 49 said they used contraception at some point within the last twelve months.
Contraception use is safe and common-place among women regardless of their race, their age, even their religion. A Guttmacher study reports that 99 percent of all people surveyed who identified as religious have used at least one form of contraception at some point, with 68 percent of Catholic women, 73 percent of mainline Protestants and 74 percent of Evangelicals all reporting regular use of highly effective forms of pregnancy protection.
Despite the overwhelming public opinion in favor of contraception, however, we see signs across the nation of access to this popular medical asset disappearing. Title X clinics that often offer lower-cost or even free birth control options to uninsured or underinsured patients are facing funding cuts or outright defunding. No copay birth control coverage has been pulled from some insurance plans. Pharmacists or other medical providers are more often choosing not to provide patient education, write or fill prescriptions or place devices, and not offering referrals to another who would be able to supply them instead. In addition, we’re now seeing other reproductive services and fertility treatments in jeopardy, often as the unintended consequences of poorly written laws that are not based on science or long-established medical practices.
That’s why I’ve introduced The Alabama Family Planning Act (HB642) which would recognize not only the right to use contraception, but also the right to use assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The vast majority of people, nationally and right here in Alabama, support the ability for a person to choose to use a contraceptive method that works best for them. But as we’ve seen in other arenas, popularity in public opinion– no matter how overwhelming—doesn’t always translate into public policy. That is why I am urging Alabamians to support The Alabama Family Planning Act to declare a right to contraception, as well as fertility treatments, in the state of Alabama. This vital medical and personal need must remain available to every person who wants it for whatever reason they choose—to prevent pregnancy, to treat underlying medical conditions, or even as it may be used in helping a person hoping to create a family through assistive reproductive technology.
Unlike college football, contraceptive use and family planning is not a divisive topic for those of us in Alabama. I believe that support for a “Right to Contraception” and The Alabama Family Planning Act should be just as universal, too.
