Nearly half of the 6.1 million yearly pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. These unplanned pregnancies, whether unwanted or mistimed, can create negative outcomes for children and families. In recent years, greater access to birth control, particularly the more effective types of birth control known as long-acting, reversible contraception (LARCs), have empowered women to only have children if, when, and with whom they want. Several states and organizations have been trailblazers in increasing the availability of family planning information and access to the full range of contraceptive methods, so that women can make the best decisions for themselves and their families. Such access will be more important than ever should restrictions on abortion become more prevalent in the future.
On June 24, the Future of the Middle Class Initiative hosted an event marking the release of a new report by Brookings Senior Fellow Isabel Sawhill and Senior Research Assistant Katherine Guyot. The event featured former Governor Jack Markell, who led the path-breaking efforts in Delaware to reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancies. The panels that followed focus on state experiences and efforts, new approaches to reducing unplanned pregnancies, and what the research says about their success.
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Summary of report “Preventing unplanned pregnancies: Lessons from the states”
Panel 1: State experiences
Panel 2: New approaches
Panel 3: Research
Agenda
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June 24
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Introduction
Stephanie Aaronson Senior Associate Director, Division of Research and Statistics - Federal Reserve Board -
Summary of report “Preventing unplanned pregnancies: Lessons from the states”
Isabel V. Sawhill Senior Fellow Emeritus - Economic Studies, Center for Economic Security and Opportunity @isawhill -
Keynote address
Jack Markell 73rd Governor - State of Delaware -
Panel 1: State experiences
Moderator
Camille Busette Interim Vice President and Director - Governance Studies, Director - Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative @CamilleBusettePanelist
John Wiesman Secretary of Health - Washington State Department of HealthKaryl Thomas Rattay Director, Division of Public Health - Delaware Department of Health and Social ServicesDavid K. Turok Associate Professor - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health Care -
Panel 2: New approaches
Moderator
Sarah Brown Senior Adviser and Former Chief Executive Officer - The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned PregnancyPanelist
Mark Edwards Co-Founder/Co-CEO - Upstream USAGinny Ehrlich Chief Executive Officer - Power to DecideJanice Tildon-Burton M.D., F.A.C.O.G. -
Panel 3: Research
Panelist
Martha Bailey Professor of Economics - UCLA, Research Associate - National Bureau of Economic Research @martha_j_baileyKristin Moore Senior Scholar - Child TrendsJason Lindo Professor of Economics - Texas A&M University
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