At its core, Empower Missouri is an anti-poverty organization. You often hear about our priority issues areas; affordable housing, criminal legal system reform, and food security, but we know that to truly end poverty, we have to address the myriad factors that create and sustain it.
Family Planning and the Impact for Families in Poverty
An unplanned pregnancy can be destabilizing to a family in the best circumstances, but for a family already living in poverty or teetering on the edge, it can be catastrophic. A 2017 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that raising two children from birth to age 17, with the youngest born in 2015, would have cost $233,610. With inflation, that number was estimated to reach over $280,000 in 2020, and with the continued rise, would be even higher today in 2025. In Missouri alone, the annual cost to raise one child has been estimated at nearly $20,000 per year. For families already struggling to meet their basic needs, this can be the difference between paying rent or having enough food on the table.
Households with lower incomes and fewer resources are especially impacted by unintended pregnancies. Pregnancy complications, especially for women who work on their feet every day, can force expectant mothers into bed rest or more frequent doctor checks, resulting in lost wages or lost jobs. Even for smooth pregnancies, many low wage jobs offer little to no family leave, meaning new parents are back at work sometimes within days of giving birth. Childcare is an unattainable expense for low wage families in Missouri, costing from $5,000-10,000 for just one child. A single parent could be paying up to 40% of their income for center-based infant care. For single parents earning minimum wage, working quickly becomes unattainable.
Nearly one in five children in Missouri are already growing up in households struggling with severe poverty, which can cause lifelong trauma. Children growing up poor are substantially more likely to be poor as adults as compared to their peers growing up in well-resourced households, deepening cycles of poverty in this state.
When families are able to decide when and how to add children, they are more likely to reach their educational and financial goals. All households should have the power to decide when and how they add to their families. And one way that we can help ensure that families who have fewer resources can still make those choices is by making it easier to access contraceptives.
Benefits of Continuous Contraceptives
A policy called Continuous Contraceptives would require insurance companies to fill a full year of oral contraceptives at a time, making it easier to avoid missed doses and increase medication compliance, leading to fewer unintended pregnancies. A 2019 study from the Veterans Affairs healthcare system followed over 24,000 women to see how annual birth control impacted them. The VA showed an annual savings of over $2,000,000 and prevented over 500 unintended pregnancies. Women in the study had fewer missed doses and were able to avoid any coverage gaps caused by pharmacy slowdowns or scheduling issues.
Families in rural communities in our state face extra barriers to reproductive healthcare access, which can also be addressed by 12-month prescriptions. Pharmacies may be farther from their home and may experience issues maintaining stock. Individuals may experience transportation difficulties where public transit options are non-existent. Continuous contraception means fewer trips to the pharmacy, reducing these barriers.
Current Legislation
A bipartisan women’s healthcare bill that included continuous contraceptives narrowly missed passage last year, but we have another opportunity this year. HB 398 y SB 178 are both currently moving through the Missouri legislature, and women can’t wait another year for this important policy to be passed. Along with continuous contraception, these bills also include provisions to expand prenatal testing and improve treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
HB 398 is currently on the House calendar for perfection. SB 178 was heard on March 5th in the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee, but has not had a vote yet. There is still time to get these bills over the finish line this legislative session! Use this form from our partners at Missouri Family Health Council to contact your legislators now and let them know you want to see this legislation passed this year.
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