The pandemic, affordable IUDs and increasing costs of living have more California adults opting for contraceptives over starting a new family. As a result, California is expected to see 50,000 fewer births in 2021, according to the Los Angeles Times.
IUDs – intrauterine devices – continue to grow as a popular form of contraception, especially after the Affordable Care Act made the option free for most patients. The long-last contraceptive that prevents pregnancy for up to 12 years attracted women because it was a one-time procedure that is more accessible than some birth controls that are restricted by politics and some insurances. Job losses and other pandemic related issues made many people rethink family plans.
“The pandemic freaked people out,” said Ponta Abadi, a reproductive health expert. “It caused a lot of people to lose their jobs and affected whether they wanted to have kids.”
Also in the news:
►More than half of U.S. adults are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in 25 states, the District of Columbia and Guam, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
►Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics this summer, the U.S. State Department raised Japan to “Level 4 – do not travel” on Monday because of COVID-19, and the CDC indicated a “very high” level of the coronavirus and recommended not traveling to the country.
►Puerto Rico has ended a nightly pandemic curfew after more than a year in force and will allow vaccinated visitors to enter the…
