Impact of contraceptive coverage policies on contraceptive use and risky sexual behavior among adolescent girls in the USA.

This study examines the impact of contraceptive coverage policies—specifically contraceptive insurance mandates and pharmacy access to emergency contraception—on contraceptive use and unprotected sexual intercourse among adolescent girls in the United States using 2003–2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 116,180 participants across 34 states. Results indicate that these policies were not significantly associated with changes in contraceptive use or risky sexual behavior overall, although some age-specific effects on condom use were observed. The study also documents an overall increase in the use of birth control pills and longer-acting contraceptive methods, alongside a decline in condom use, with notable differences by age and race/ethnicity. Findings suggest that increased access to emergency contraception does not reduce use of other contraceptive methods nor increase unprotected sex among adolescents, highlighting the importance of expanding access to a broad range of contraceptive options, particularly longer-acting methods.