Access to Contraception Changes Amid Abortion Restrictions

In Virginia, a RAND Corporation study reveals that while recent legislation has improved abortion access, lingering restrictions still impact vulnerable populations. The study highlights confusion around legal abortion providers and the need for a constitutional amendment to further protect reproductive health rights. In South Carolina, the nonprofit New Morning is addressing barriers to birth control access amid rising patient numbers, despite the state's strict abortion laws. This contrasts with national trends where states with severe abortion restrictions have seen declines in contraceptive prescriptions, particularly in Texas and Mississippi. In New South Wales, Australia, a trial allowing pharmacists to prescribe the contraceptive pill has been made permanent, expanding access for women aged 18 to 49. These developments underscore the ongoing complexities and disparities in reproductive health access across different regions.