Why Global Access to Contraception Demands Action – Q&A with Dr. Aparna Sridhar

Woman holds birth control pills

Why is this issue of access to contraception so important right now?
Access to contraception is foundational to reproductive autonomy and public health. Yet, it’s impacted by a range of factors—from cultural and political barriers to gaps in training and resources. This study comes at a time when many regions are seeing setbacks or stagnation in contraceptive access, despite growing need.

A recent study from the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology explored these challenges. As lead author on this study, what were the key findings?
We wanted to better understand how professional obstetrics and gynecology societies around the world are engaging with contraceptive care. As a global community, we’ve made progress in reproductive health, but access to contraception remains uneven and complex. We saw an opportunity to explore both the challenges and successes across FIGO’s 139 member societies.

What did the group find?
We surveyed representatives from 70 member societies across five global regions. While 84% reported having national contraceptive guidelines, only 37% had a working group dedicated to family planning—and just 19% had one focused specifically on contraception. There’s also a clear emphasis on priorities like provider training, adolescent contraception, and combating misinformation.

What are the next steps?
We need strengthen global collaboration by building a network of sexual and reproductive health leaders under FIGO. We also need to invest in regionally tailored research and capacity building. Enhancing connectivity among member societies can help us share solutions and scale what’s working. We will do this by working with key organizations that are already working in this field such as WHO and FP 2030. 

What’s your hope for the future of contraceptive access globally?

 Now more than ever, the world needs a coordinated coalition of sexual and reproductive health and rights experts. Contraception is not only a cornerstone of reproductive autonomy and gender equality—it is fundamental process that prevents maternal mortality. Without access to high-quality, rights-based contraception care, we cannot meaningfully address maternal mortality, health inequities, or other sustainable development goals.

We hope this work inspires deeper collaboration across borders and catalyzes action to elevate contraception as essential healthcare. Together, we can ensure that everyone, everywhere, has the tools and support they need to make informed reproductive choices.