The United States has officially ceased its financial assistance for family planning initiatives in developing countries, leading to a drastic loss of access to contraception for nearly 50 million women. This decision, which has not garnered significant attention amidst broader changes to American foreign aid, poses serious consequences including increased maternal mortality and heightened poverty levels.
Historically, the U.S. has played a pivotal role in funding family planning, contributing approximately 40 percent of the overall support received by 31 developing countries, translating to about $600 million in funding in 2023, the last reported year. This crucial financial backing has enabled the provision of contraceptives and medical services to over 47 million women and couples, successfully averting an estimated 17.1 million unintended pregnancies and preventing 5.2 million unsafe abortions, according to an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute.
Health experts and advocates have voiced grave concerns regarding the implications of this funding cut, with some predicting that as many as 34,000 women could die annually from avoidable maternal mortality due to restricted access to contraceptive services. Marie Ba, leading the Ouagadougou Partnership—a collaborative effort aimed at improving family planning resources in West Africa—remarked on the devastating impact of the aid cuts, emphasizing the significance of U.S. contributions.
The termination of this funding is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to dismantle U.S.A.I.D., now absorbed into the State Department. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has labeled the terminated family planning projects as wasteful and not aligned with U.S. strategic interests, a stance that continues to draw criticism from health organizations worldwide as the impacts of these cuts ripple across vulnerable populations.
