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What is already known on this topic?
In the United States, nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended, and 36 million women of reproductive age are in need of family planning services, but national data on contraceptive method availability are limited, with few studies examining provider-specific availability of a range of contraceptive methods.
What is added by this report?
Approximately half of providers indicated that intrauterine devices (IUDs) and one third of providers indicated that contraceptive implants were available to their patients on-site. A higher proportion of Title X clinic providers than office-based physicians offered a range of contraceptive methods on-site, but availability of long-acting, reversible contraceptives (LARCs), including IUDs and contraceptive implants, often depended on referral to other office-based or Title X clinic providers.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Increasing access to LARCs in addition to other methods, might increase contraceptive use and reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies.