About
State of Access: A Contraceptive Policy Scorecard provides a comprehensive overview of how state-level policies protect or restrict access to contraception within each U.S. state and the District of Columbia. The scorecard synthesizes complex policy environments into a clear and comparable framework, offering insights for a wide range of audiences working to advance contraceptive access and reproductive health outcomes.
The scorecard evaluates written policies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia using a weighted methodology that considers both the presence and strength of existing state laws and other regulations, with the goal to illuminate policy gaps and inequities and identify opportunities to improve contraceptive access at the state level.
The scorecard also provides a federal overview which highlights key national policies and programs—such as the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage mandate, FDA regulations, and relevant Supreme Court decisions—that shape the broader landscape of contraceptive access across states.
Acknowledgments
The scorecard was developed by Christine Power and Cathryn Streifel, with significant input from a PRB project team and a technical expert review panel. Arnold Ventures provided support for the development of this scorecard.
Christine Power, senior policy advisor
Cathryn Streifel, senior program director
Sara Srygley, research associate
Raquel Wojnar, communications manager
Nancy Matuszak, editing consultant
Diana Elliott, senior vice president
Kaitlyn Patierno, senior program director
Anneka Van Scoyoc, head of design
Jessica Woodin, design consultant
ThompsonStenning Inc, web development
Contributions of the Technical Expert Review Panel
The project team would like to express their sincere gratitude to the members of the technical expert review panel, whose contributions enhanced the overall rigor, utility, and integrity of the scorecard. The panel’s expertise in contraceptive access, measurement, policy, and public health practice was instrumental in shaping the framework approach and weighting structure of policy indicators.
While the panel provided invaluable guidance, they were not responsible for the final scoring decisions or the content of the scorecard. All final decisions regarding methodology, scoring, and interpretation of findings were made by the PRB project team.
We deeply appreciate the thoughtful contributions of our expert reviewers, including: Jen Biundo (Healthy Futures of Texas), Sonya Borrero (University of Pittsburgh), Liz Elwart (Upstream USA), Deja Foxx (Reproductive Rights Advocate), Brittni Frederiksen (KFF), Kami Geoffray (Geoffray Strategies), Candace Gibson (Guttmacher Institute), Jamie Hart (Coalition to Expand Contraceptive Access), Courtney Joslin (R Street Institute), Alison Macklin (SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change), Josh McCawley (Teen Health Mississippi), Riley Steiner (Power to Decide), Katherine Strandberg (Every Body Texas), Terri-Ann Thompson (Ibis Reproductive Health), and Katey Zeh (Religious Community for Reproductive Choice). Panelists participated in their individual capacities and not as representatives of their organizations; organizations are listed for identification purposes only. Some panelists chose to remain anonymous and are not listed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
The scorecard synthesizes the complex, fractured environment for contraceptive access in each U.S. state. It provides a comprehensive, evidence-based, nonpartisan, and accessible resource that a range of audiences—including policymakers, journalists, program implementers, donors, and advocates—can use to propel their practice and policymaking. It can inform legislative priorities, guide resource allocation, support advocacy campaigns, shape media narratives, and highlight gaps and opportunities in contraceptive access at the state level. By offering clear, comparative insights across states, the scorecard equips users to make data-informed decisions that advance equitable reproductive health outcomes.
The nine indicators in the scorecard were identified through a comprehensive literature review as policy areas that have a strong body of evidence supporting an association with increases or decreases to contraceptive access across the United States. A small number of policies identified in the literature review were not included, including those not implemented in some part at the state level, those that overlapped with other policies in the scorecard, or those with a lack of publicly available data sources. Refer to the methodology page to learn more.
This scorecard measures active state policies on indicators that affect contraceptive access. Any proposed legislation, bills that have been signed but are not yet in effect, or laws currently blocked due to legal challenges are not considered in scoring decisions.
Data included in this scorecard relies on secondary data from a range of sources, including state legislative websites, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Guttmacher Institute. A full data list is available on our Methodology page. Secondary sources do not always routinely collect or update data, and while PRB paired secondary data with desk research, it is possible information may have been published after this scorecard was published or inadvertently missed. PRB welcomes users to contact us with updated information.
The scorecard was first published on July 16, 2025. PRB plans to update the scorecard periodically, and the current version may not reflect the latest state policy for a specific policy indicator. The date of the last update can be found above the map on the homepage. We are seeking funding to update this resource regularly. If you are interested in supporting this work, please contact us to learn more about partnering or contributing towards these efforts.
Yes. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to use scorecard data in their own publications, presentations, and communications efforts. We ask that you cite the scorecard as the source and, when possible, include a link to this website. If you’re adapting the data or combining it with other sources, please make that clear to maintain transparency.
Power, C., & Streifel, C. (2025). State of Access: Contraceptive Policy Scorecard. Population Reference Bureau. Available at: https://stateofaccess.prb.org/
For questions about proper citation or to request additional context, please contact us.
We welcome any feedback. Please reach out to the PRB project team at communications@prb.org to ask questions, share your findings and experiences, or partner with us to bring the scorecard to your organization..
For media inquiries, please email media@prb.org.
Last updated: July 10, 2025 