The United States has dramatically reduced its financial contributions to family planning programs in developing nations, leaving nearly 50 million women with diminished access to contraception. This policy shift, which has received scant media attention amidst broader cuts to American foreign aid, is poised to have serious ramifications, including higher maternal mortality rates and escalating poverty levels.
Historically, the U.S. was responsible for approximately 40 percent of the funding for family planning initiatives across 31 developing countries, amounting to $600 million in 2023. This support facilitated the provision of contraceptive devices and medical services, reaching over 47 million women and couples. According to the Guttmacher Institute, these programs helped prevent 17.1 million unintended pregnancies and 5.2 million unsafe abortions each year. Experts estimate that the withdrawal of such funding could lead to the deaths of 34,000 women from preventable maternal causes annually.
Marie Ba, who coordinates initiatives for the Ouagadougou Partnership in West Africa, stressed the vast implications of the funding cuts, describing the potential impact as "mind-boggling."
The decision to cut funding comes as part of the Trump administration's broader disassembly of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Following its absorption into the State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled the terminated aid projects as wasteful and misaligned with U.S. strategic interests, disregarding their crucial role in global health. Despite requests for comments on this significant reduction in support, the State Department has not responded, leaving millions of women vulnerable and without essential reproductive health services.
