South Carolina Sees a 44% Reduction in Unwanted Births

Groundbreaking birth control program delivers unprecedented results

COLUMBIA, S.C., Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Morning, a South Carolina nonprofit organization leading the largest state-based birth control access program in the Southeast, announced new data showing that there was a 44 percent reduction in unwanted births statewide in the first four years of the initiative.

The data was released by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, using statistics from the 2017-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) surveys. Also noted in the data was a 59 percent decrease in unwanted births among South Carolina women aged 20 to 29.

New Morning's program is imbedded in 141 clinics that have provided contraceptive services to nearly 375,000 women since 2017. The program has enabled many community health centers, rural health practices and other clinics to purchase and offer high-quality birth control services for the first time and for free or low-cost.   

"We're starting to see the real, lasting impact of our and our clinical partners' efforts," said Bonnie Kapp, president and CEO of New Morning. "South Carolina's 44 percent reduction in unwanted births surpasses other states' recent achievements, based upon what's been published."

Unintended pregnancy has been linked to inadequate prenatal care, preterm and low birthweight infants, infant mortality, increased postpartum depression and stress, pregnancy-related maternal mortality and developmental delays in children.

"South Carolina has figured out that unintended pregnancies lead to more abortion, poorer outcomes for children and their parents, and higher government costs. They have launched a successful effort to reduce unwanted pregnancies by making better contraceptive care widely available and have had some amazing success. Anyone concerned about the well-being of children and families should take note," said Isabel Sawhill, senior fellow, Center for Children and Families, the Brookings Institution.

Women need information and access to all birth control methods so they can select the method that's best for them, and so they can avoid having an unwanted or mistimed pregnancy. New Morning's program gives women the tools to decide whether, when and under what circumstances to start or grow their families.

About New Morning
New Morning is a nonprofit organization based in Columbia, S.C. that works to increase the publics' access to information about family planning, counseling and contraceptive services.
For more information, visit newmorning.org and NoDrama.org.

SOURCE New Morning