Requests for birth control, abortion pills jump post-election

According to the Associated Press, doctors across the country have seen a surge in requests for long-term birth control and permanent sterilizations since the election.

"I saw this bump after the Trump election in 2016" and after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, said Clayton Alfonso, an ob/gyn at Duke University. "But the patients seem more afraid this time."

According to Alfonso, his patients have asked him to replace still-effective IUDs and "restart" the 3-to-12-year timetable on them before the inauguration. One of his patients who requested a tubal ligation said she doesn't want children and is "just absolutely terrified of either forced pregnancy or inability to access contraception."

Similarly, Grace Ferguson, an ob/gyn and abortion provider in Pittsburgh, said more of her patients are scheduling IUD insertions or stockpiling emergency contraception "because of the upcoming administration change."

Companies that sell emergency contraception online or abortion pills, such as mifepristone and misoprostol, through telehealth have also seen a spike in orders.

For example, Aid Access, a nonprofit organization that connects people to mail-order abortion pills, said it had a 16-fold increase in requests for abortion medications the day after the election. According to executive director Rebecca Gomperts, the site typically receives around 600 requests a day for abortion medications, but it received 10,000 requests the day after the election.

Cadence OTC, an emergency contraception company, also saw five times the purchases it normally sees in a week in just one day after the election. Similarly, Winx Health said it saw a 966% increase in emergency contraception sales in the 60 hours following the election. Sales of the company's emergency contraception "value packs," which contain four doses instead of one, were also up more than 7,000% in the past week.

Wisp, a sexual and reproductive telehealth company, said it has seen a significant increase in requests for abortion bills, as well as emergency contraception like Plan B, after the election. Between election day and the day after, medication abortion orders increased by 600% and birth control sales increased by 50%. In addition, sales of emergency contraception jumped by 1,000% for returning Wisp patients and 1,650% for new Wisp patients.

"We saw a very similar situation unfold following the overturning of Roe v. Wade," said Wisp CEO Monica Cepak said. "Women, once again in a moment of crisis, are taking control of their healthcare and feel empowered to invest in preventative reproductive health in an environment of uncertainty and risk."

"People are concerned that a Trump administration will place additional restrictions on abortion access, potentially even a full ban," said Elise Wells, co-founder and co-director of Plan C, a nonprofit organization that provides information on how to access abortion medications. "People want to be prepared by having pills on hand just in case they need them."

How the Trump administration could impact reproductive health

According to The Hill, Trump has taken an "increasingly moderate tone" on abortion over the course of his campaign, saying that he would veto any efforts to pass a national ban and that decisions on abortion will be left to the states. He has also said that bans should include exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.

However, abortion rights advocates have said there are a number of ways a Trump administration could narrow abortion access and reproductive care, such as through insurance coverage exemptions for religiously affiliated employers.

FDA could also revise guidance that allows the abortion pill mifepristone — which is used in a majority of abortions — to be sent to patients in the mail. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has said that he supports the Supreme Court's decision in a recent case over mifepristone availability that anti-abortion doctors didn't have standing to sue FDA over its decision to make the drug more available. However, Trump has previously said he'd be open to restrictions on the drug.

According to Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer at the American Civil Liberties Union, the Trump administration could also target Medicaid coverage for birth control and Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood to restrict access.

Reproductive health experts have also expressed concerns about how these potential restrictions to abortion care could more broadly impact maternal healthcare, fertility care, and contraception.

"What's important to recognize is that all of those are interrelated," said Amy Friedrich-Karnik, director of federal policy at the Guttmacher Institute. "When you attack one piece of reproductive health care, it really has a ripple effect.

"People who need abortion care often also at some point need contraception, and people who need contraception might eventually need maternal health care," Friedrich-Karnik added. "People's lives are fluid like that, and this care is fluid, and you can't attack one piece of reproductive health care without really impacting the whole range of care that people need."

Advisory Board's women's health resources

For more insights into women's health issues, check out Advisory Board's library of resources, including several resources on the top drivers of change in the maternal and reproductive health market, as well as the outlook for the women's health service line.

To learn more about ways to improve women's health in the United States, this report outlines six key factors to take into consideration, including the roles of various healthcare stakeholders and the importance of cross-industry collaboration.

In addition, this expert insight outlines the business case for investing in women's specialty care. This research also describes five steps organizations can take to improve women's health and well-being.

For resources specifically related to abortion, we offer this infographic explaining the potential health outcomes for individuals denied abortions in their state, as well as an expert insight on the groups that are disproportionately impacted by abortion restrictions. This expert insight also explains how leaders can help their clinical workforce amid changing abortion laws. (Ungar, Associated Press, 11/13; O'Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 11/12; Dobkin, Newsweek, 11/13; Howard, CNN, 11/12)

Maternal and reproductive healthcare is rapidly changing. Four top drivers bring opportunities and challenges for maternal and reproductive health leaders progressing towards holistic, appropriate, and accessible care for all.