At a glance
An unintended pregnancy is a pregnancy that is unwanted (occurred when no children or no more children were desired) or mistimed (occurred earlier than desired).
Overview
The percentage of US pregnancies that were unintended declined from 43.3% in 2010 to 41.6% in 2019. Rates of unintended pregnancies declined by 15%, from 42.1 per 1,000 females aged 15–44 in 2010 to 35.7 in 2019.
Access to high-quality reproductive health care is essential for people wishing to prevent pregnancy or to achieve a healthy pregnancy. Equitable access to the full range of contraceptive methods for all those seeking care is an essential component of high-quality reproductive health care.
What CDC is doing
- Provides guidance for health care providers to support person-centered contraceptive counseling and services.
- Supports efforts to improve access to quality sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents.
- Addresses access to contraception during public health emergencies.