Birth-Control Backlash and Rising Abortions After the Roe Overturn

Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn *Roe v. Wade*, many states enacted abortion bans. Concurrently, a “birth-control backlash” emerged online, driven by wellness influencers who portray hormonal contraception as harmful. The backlash coincides with political pushes that favor higher birth rates, further stigmatizing hormonal methods.

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Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s biennial women’s health survey show that in 2024, 82 % of sexually active women of reproductive age reported using some form of contraception, while 6 % reported not using any method. The remaining respondents were pregnant, trying to conceive, or unable to conceive. Brittni Frederiksen, a women’s health researcher at KFF, notes that early 2026 data “look[s] pretty similar,” suggesting that overall contraception prevalence has remained stable despite the social media narrative.

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Harper argues that reduced access to contraception—exacerbated by the Trump administration’s cuts to reproductive-health funding—could be contributing to a recent rise in abortions, even as state bans remain in place. She proposes a study linking restricted contraceptive access to pregnancy outcomes. Frederiksen counters that the increase in abortions is more plausibly linked to expanded telehealth medication-abortion services, which have grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. She points to a high-profile Louisiana case seeking to limit that option nationwide as a potential future barrier.

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• “This is just the normal status quo now,” — Dr. Caitlin Bernard, OB-GYN, Indianapolis

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• “Other things that help you decide whether or not to use contraception are more top of mind.” — Dr. Caitlin Bernard, OB-GYN, Indianapolis

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• “There is definitely a social media phenomenon of wellness influencers with non-evidence-based personal experiences that are just ricocheting through the stratosphere,” — Cynthia Harper, contraception researcher, University of California San Francisco

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