Opposition to Coercive Contraception Practices and Policies

The decision to pursue or avoid pregnancy through the use, duration, and method of contraception should be chosen by the individual, regardless of her social, medical, or situational circumstance. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) supports a shared decision-making model for meeting pregnancy planning needs and access to the full spectrum of contraceptive options for all women.

ACOG opposes coercive practices and policies that inappropriately incentivize use of contraception, prioritize specific methods such as long-acting or permanent methods at the expense of individual patient preferences, or construct barriers to autonomous decisions to discontinue contraception. Offering financial or other incentives to patients or providers, such as making contraception a condition of substance use disorder treatment or release from confinement, directly compromises individual agency and autonomy. These practices and policies can be intended as a response to behaviors that practitioners or policy makers perceive as unhealthy or unlawful, or driven by implicit or conscious biases. Regardless of intention, such policies and practices are coercive and ACOG strongly opposes them. It is the role of the obstetrician–gynecologist to advocate for meaningful access to comprehensive reproductive health care that improves health outcomes while protecting the right of individuals to control their own reproductive destiny.

Approved by the Executive Board: March 2019
Reaffirmed: March 2021