Social and legislative shaping of access to contraceptives and the Pharmacist's role: A literature review

Background: Despite years of research and numerous policies, access to contraceptives in the United States remains imperfect. Largely due to lack of access to contraceptives, unintended pregnancy rates remain high. Objective: To provide researchers and policy-makers with a comprehensive review of the legislative and social landscape that has shaped contraceptive access in the United States, which may help to guide future research and policies. Methods: A narrative overview of existing literature on policies and research regarding women's access to contraceptives was compiled, with a focus on the role of pharmacists. Results: Contraceptive access has been heavily influenced by laws and policies throughout the years, and disparities remain in underserved populations. Pharmacists are beginning to play a role in improving access to contraceptives through provision of contraceptives using direct pharmacy access policies. Conclusions: Continued research and new policies aimed at improving contraceptive access are warranted.