It has been just more than a year since Missouri’s trigger law banned nearly all access to abortions in the state, and according to a new survey from The Right Time, many Missourians remain confused about the legality of emergency contraception and birth control in the state.
The Right Time is a partnership between the Missouri Family Health Council and Missouri Foundation for Health that partners with health clinics throughout the state to provide low or no cost birth control options.
Michelle Trupiano, the executive director of the Missouri Family Health Council, said many of the survey’s findings were things they had already heard anecdotally from clinic staff – Missourians are unsure what their legal options are.
“Immediately the impact of the Dobbs decision, we had patients calling the health centers being like, ‘Do I need to remove this? Am I doing something illegal?’” Trupiano said.
“And so, providers have had to spend a tremendous amount of time reassuring patients that all contraception is legal, and that they can still have whatever method that they wish.”
The survey was conducted between April 27 and May 3, 2023, and included the responses of 1,000 Missouri residents. Those surveyed came from different geographic regions, different racial backgrounds and different political party affiliation, according to the organization.
Trupiano said the survey shows there is “considerable” confusion about the legality of birth control methods in Missouri, as well as a lack of understanding about the differences between emergency birth control and the abortion pill.
According to the survey, one in four Missourians do not believe or do not know that birth control pills are still legal in the state, and four in ten either were unsure about IUDs legality in Missouri.
The survey also showed that Missourians were concerned about the future of access to birth control – with 44 percent of respondents believing “that contraception in Missouri will be more difficult or impossible to get in two years.”
“Dobbs is just the beginning and sort of the opening door,” Trupiano said. “And so, we need to do everything we can to educate folks about what is true today, while we're fighting back against future attacks.”
She said the Missouri Family Health Council will continue to focus on making sure Missourians have access to the birth control method of their choice – often on the same day, but they will also focus on education and new legislative efforts.
Some of the legislative changes they are advocating for include a bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control and a bill that would allow people to obtain an annual supply of their chosen birth control method.
Trupiano added that one of the most concerning results of the survey was that more than half of those surveyed do not know or do not believe there is a difference between emergency contraception and the abortion pill.
Emergency contraception, often called the morning-after pill or by its brand name, Plan B, is an over-the-counter medication that can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex to reduce the chance of pregnancy.
According to the FDA, the medication should be taken as soon as possible, ideally within 72 hours.
“Dobbs is just the beginning and sort of the opening door, and so, we need to do everything we can to educate folks about what is true today, while we're fighting back against future attacks.”Michelle Trupiano
For Trupiano, this survey result reemphasized the need for more access and education when it comes to emergency contraception in the state – like the Missouri Family Health Council’s “Free EC” pilot program was launched at the beginning of June.
In the first three weeks of the program, they ran through the original allotment of kits – 5,500 kits. They mailed out about 2,000 kits and provided another 3,000 or so kits to partner agencies throughout the state.
“So, that when somebody's maybe in a crisis, they're not having to drive around and figure out what pharmacy may have it or where to access it,” Trupiano said. “Or if they're in a rural area, feeling sort of that shame or concerns around confidentiality. Again, just trying to remove all those barriers.”
Trupiano said they have already begun providing a second round of free emergency contraception kits to Missourians, and they hope to make it an ongoing initiative.
Missourians can request one of the “Free EC” kits by submitting a form on the Missouri Family Health Council’s websiteor by going in person to a partner health center.
