A recent poll shows widespread concern among Missourians about the future of birth control access.
The survey from the Right Time Initiative reveals almost 40% fear birth control will become harder or even impossible to obtain. Some medical industry experts believe the uncertainty is fueled by a lack of access to future Title X funds, which provide affordable family planning services to thousands in the Show Me State.
In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has withheld funding from several grantees.
Michelle Trupiano, executive director of the Missouri Family Health Council, said her organization is one of them.
"I think this polling shows what Missourians already know," Trupiano asserted. "Both the state and the federal government are doing everything they can to make it harder for people to access care."
Missouri Family Health Council has led the Title X program in the state since 1981 and in Oklahoma since 2023, serving nearly 44,000 people in 2024. Both states are set to lose more than $8 million in Title X funding.
Trupiano noted her organization is always communicating with policymakers to ensure they are aligned with what voters and constituents want and argued the survey shows the will of the people, across party lines.
"What this polling shows is that an overwhelming percentage of Missourians, over 80%, believe that birth control is something that everybody should have access to," Trupiano pointed out. "They want their lawmakers to actually do more to support access."
Although a total restriction on birth control is not widely supported, there is stronger opposition to methods like Plan B and IUDs, compared to more common methods such as condoms or regular birth control pills.
The Missouri Public News Service is a partner with KRCU Public Radio.
