New Maps Show Wide Disparities in Access to Affordable Birth Control Across U.S.

New maps examined by NPR reveal significant disparities in access to affordable birth control across the United States, according to a report published by the outlet.

The maps, as described in the NPR report, illustrate gaps in where people can obtain low-cost contraception, pointing to unevenness in coverage across different parts of the country.

NPR noted that because of a lag in the data used to produce the maps, the current reality of access to affordable birth control may be even more limited than the maps currently indicate.

The report did not specify the source of the underlying data or the exact methodology used to compile the maps, but it frames the findings as part of an ongoing effort to track contraception accessibility nationwide.

Access to affordable birth control has been a subject of continued attention among researchers and health advocates, who have used geographic mapping tools in the past to identify areas where residents face barriers to obtaining contraceptive care, including cost, clinic availability, and insurance coverage.

NPR's report suggests that the newly reviewed maps add to this body of work by providing an updated, though still incomplete, picture of where such gaps persist.