The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy released a new poll that shows three-quarters of adults (including 66% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats) support Title X, the federal program that provides free or low-cost birth control to those making $30,000 a year or less. The poll also shows that 85% of adults (including 75% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats) support current federal efforts to prevent teen pregnancy through the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP) and the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP).

Highlighting the progress that has been made regarding unplanned pregnancies, the Campaign’s CEO Ginny Ehrlich, said,

“Since federal investments have been made in TPPP and PREP, teen birth rates have plummeted. Programs supported by these funds make a difference in the communities most impacted by teen and unplanned pregnancy.  That is why it is vital that this funding continue to support state, tribal, and community efforts to offer high quality, evidence-based programs to some of the most vulnerable young people and communities in our nation.  Our poll clearly shows that vast majority of the American public—both Republicans and Democrats—believe that we need to continue funding these programs and continue our progress to reduce teen and unplanned pregnancies.”

The survey showed that:

  • 79% of adults (including 73% of Republicans and 81% of Democrats) believe teens should receive more information about abstinence, birth control, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) protection rather than either/or;
  • 66% of adults (including 57% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats) believe publicly funded programs designed to prevent teen pregnancy should focus on providing teens with information on abstinence and birth control rather than either/or; and
  • 54% of adults (including 49% of Republicans and 60% of Democrats) believe that more should be done in their community to prevent teen pregnancy.

“Previous research shows that birth control enjoys broad bipartisan support and that it is used by almost all sexually active women at some point in their lives,” Ehrlich said.

Recent research conducted by The National Campaign shows that nearly 20 million American women live in contraceptive deserts—defined by their lack of reasonable access to public health care sites offering the full range of contraceptive methods.  This is despite the fact that 81% of adults (including 70% of Republicans and 90% of Democrats) agree that birth control is a basic part of women’s health care, according to a previous survey commissioned by The National Campaign.

Click here to view the survey.