Use of Family Planning and Related Medical Services Among Women Aged 15-44 in the United States: National Survey of Family Growth, 2006-2010

Objective: This report presents national estimates of the use of family planning services and related medical services among women aged 15-44 in the United States in 2006-2010. Selected indicators are compared with similar measures for 2002 and 1995 to examine changes over time.

Methods: Data for this report come primarily from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), which included 12,279 interviews with women aged 15-44. The response rate for women in the 2006-2010 NSFG was 78%.

Results: In 2006-2010, 43 million women aged 15-44 received a family planning or related medical service in the previous 12 months. A Pap test and a pelvic exam were the most common services received by women in the previous year, followed by receipt of a method of birth control. About 18% of women received a family planning or related medical service from a clinic in the past 12 months and one-half of these women received it from a Title X-funded clinic. In contrast, 53% of women received a family planning or related medical service in the past 12 months from a private doctor. Use of Title X-funded clinics was more common among women in cohabiting unions, black and Hispanic women, those who lived in nonmetropolitan areas, those below the poverty level, and those without health insurance.