The question CHAMP faculty Jenny Guadamuz and others were trying to answer with this paper was "What is the association between the US Supreme Court’s July 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision and fills for oral and emergency contraceptives?" The US Supreme Court Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision allowed states to strengthen restrictions on abortion access, triggering the closure of family planning clinics and leading to confusion about the legality of emergency contraceptives (ECs). They found that among prescriptions filled at US pharmacies, the Dobbs decision was associated with declines in oral contraceptives, particularly ECs, in states enacting the most restrictive abortion policies. Given the important role of OCPs and ECs in preventing pregnancy and the need for abortion, efforts to improve access may be needed, especially in states where legal abortion is no longer an option.
June 26, 2024