Birth control is a cornerstone of reproductive freedom, allowing individuals to make informed decisions about if and when to have children. Since 1980, the right to privacy explicitly enshrined in Florida statutes generally protects birth control access in the state. While the statute does not explicitly mention birth control, the implied rationale is similar to the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972). The landmark cases affirm the individual’s right to privacy protects the decision whether to use birth control. Yet, barriers to sustainably having and affording birth control makes Florida one of the most restrictive contraception states. Now, with Roe v. Wade overturned, restrictive policies, reduced provider capacity, and growing anti-birth control messaging exacerbate disparities in birth control access.
With increasing abortion restrictions and simultaneous attacks on birth control access, it’s important that we can recognize the safety and effectiveness of birth control, why we use it, how everyone’s ability to have birth control impacts our everyday lives. This article will cover 1) Florida’s Birth Control Profile, 2) Safety and Effectiveness, 3) Barriers to Access, 4) How you can get involved.
Birth control profile
Millions of women of reproductive age in the state of Florida use birth control for a variety of reasons. According to nationwide numbers, most women use birth control exclusively to prevent pregnancy. However, more than 1 in 3 women use birth control for other reasons. Other reasons include helping to regulate periods, manage menstrual pain, and prevent vomiting. It can also be used to manage pain caused by other medical conditions like endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or having uterine fibroids.
Safety and effectiveness
Birth control is considered 99% effective. A study released by the Guttmacher Institute in 2020 showed when used correctly, hormonal birth control has a failure rate of less than 1%, meaning less than 1% of research participants became pregnant unintentionally within 1 year. The same study showed when used correctly, male condoms – the most popular form of birth control among Floridians, have a failure rate of 2%. Therefore, while accidents are not impossible, taking birth control will generally have the intended effect.
When taking birth control, there are minor health risks associated with stress management, mental health issues like depression, certain cancers and other medical complications. Overall, contraception is severely understudied, and more research is needed to have a comprehensive understanding of the effects of all forms of birth control. That said, recently social media platforms like TikTok have taken advantage of the research gap and overblown the side effects of birth control, distorting evidence and leading people to opt-out of contraceptive care altogether. Birth control is broadly considered safe for most people, and verifiably safer than becoming pregnant.
Barriers to Access
High costs
Many Floridians may not use birth control because they can’t afford it. According to a recent study conducted in three different states, cost is one of the primary barriers to accessing birth control. 15% of women in Florida of reproductive age are insured, which may seem small, but is an extremely high number compared to other states. Florida ranks 48th out of 51 states for the share of women aged 18‐64 who have health insurance (82.8 percent) according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Regardless of insurance status, Florida law does not require private insurers to cover prescription or over-the-counter contraceptives, so many people are paying out of pocket, and contraception is extremely expensive. Single use, emergency contraception costs between $10-$50, and long-term birth control, like an IUD, can cost anywhere between $500 to $1300. For many people, sustaining these costs is not possible, and so they may choose to go without.
Systemic Inequality
Underserved communities are more likely to have difficulty accessing birth control due to cost barriers. Nationwide, Black and Hispanic women of reproductive age are more likely to report that they had to stop using birth control because they could no longer afford it compared to white women. Overall, systemic inequality impacts the ability of different groups to have birth control. Nationally, 1 in 4 disabled women and LGBTQ+ women report difficulty accessing birth control in their state (25%). 1 in 5 women of color (19.3%) report difficulty accessing birth control compared with only 14% of white women. These groups already face barriers to accessing healthcare and support, and inability to access birth control further prevents them from economic opportunity and creating generational wealth for their families.
Contraceptive Care Deserts and Fake Clinics
Florida has one of the highest rates of contraceptive care deserts in the country. That means more than 1.2 million women in Florida do not like in a county with a single health center that offers the full range of birth control methods. And there is a deep rural vs. urban divide. It is much harder for Floridians in rural areas to get birth control than people in urban areas. In rural areas there are at least 2,868 people per primary care physician. This means longer waiting times for appointments (sometimes several months out), care tends to be less individualized, and there are less options that align with people’s financial needs. On top of that, anti-abortion centers, which are non-medical, unregulated facilities designed to discourage abortion and birth control, outnumber real clinics 4 to 1. So, someone in search of a real clinic may be accidentally coerced out of contraceptive care altogether by ending up at one of these centers.
Lack of Education and Misinformation
Students who receive comprehensive sex education are more likely to engage in safer sexual behaviors (like using condoms and other forms of birth control) that reduce STIs and unplanned pregnancies. However, Florida district officials are directed to avoid teaching teenagers about birth control. Educators may not “teach teenagers about contraception, show them pictures depicting human reproductive anatomy or discuss topics such as sexual consent and domestic violence.” However, failure to teach adolescents about a topic does not prevent them from engaging in the activity or finding the information on their own. More than half of teenagers aged 15-19 have engaged in some kind of sexual experience and misinformation may be affecting their choice whether to use birth control. A recent study showed more than 70% of birth control content on TikTok is misleading or false. Someone may read something about birth control and convince themselves it’s not the right choice for them, when that may not be the case.
Why This Matters
The inability to access birth control takes away people’s freedom to control their own destiny. The fear around unwanted pregnancies and STI’s influences people’s economic, social and health-related choices. Seeking abortion care for unplanned pregnancies reduces women’s participation in the workforce which has massive implications for Florida’s economy. A recent study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) says reproductive health restrictions cost $11.3 billion in Florida’s GDP each year. State revenue impacts funding for social programs and decreases quality of life for all Floridians in the state.
Contraception use reduces unintended pregnancies, decreases STI risk, and can improve physical health. Each is linked to increased educational and career opportunities for women, as well as decreased poverty among women of childbearing age. Increased economic stability can lead to long term prosperity which improves quality of life, mental and physical health, and ability to engage with the community.
Conclusion
Birth control is an important part of everyday life for millions of Floridians, and it’s under attack. Increasingly restrictive policies and disparities in access play a major role in whether someone may access contraception. In the 2026 legislative session, there are two major bill’s that majorly impact birth control access in the state that everyone should pay attention to:
- Oppose SB 166 to protect minor’s access to birth control: This bill would ban STI treatment, crisis mental health resources (like a suicide prevention hotline), health surveys, and birth control for minors who can’t involve a parent.
- Support HB 6001 to end the Florida Pregnancy Care Network’s funding: This bill would end tax-payer funding to anti-abortion centers that continue to spread misinformation about birth control and abortion. These funds should be rerouted to expand access to birth control options and fill insurance coverage gaps.
Insert something here about how people can participate
Effective family planning reduces unintended pregnancies, improves maternal and child health, and strengthens economic stability. When people can make decisions about their own bodies, families thrive and we build communities where each of us can participate with dignity.