For many, accessing birth control has become increasingly challenging. Power to Decide reports that in Indiana, 428,540 women of reproductive age live in “contraceptive deserts,” counties with insufficient access to health centers offering a full range of contraceptive options. Of these, 99,870 reside in counties without a single center providing comprehensive contraception services.
In March 2024, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Enrolled Act 1426 into law, restricting postpartum contraceptive options for Medicaid recipients. In June, U.S. Senate Republicans, including Indiana Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young, voted to block the Right to Contraception Act (S.4381), further limiting access to contraception.
As contraception access faces growing legislative restrictions across the United States, Indiana has emerged as a battleground. State laws threaten to limit birth control options and create significant obstacles for women seeking comprehensive reproductive healthcare in the state. Many reproductive freedom advocates say these developments signal a concerning trend in the erosion of contraception rights that would impact hundreds of thousands of Indiana residents…