U.S. Family Planning Aid Cuts Pose Grave Risks for Women Worldwide

Over 47 million women potentially impacted as U.S. withdraws essential financial support for contraceptive programs

The United States is halting its critical financial support for family planning initiatives in developing nations, leaving nearly 50 million women without access to contraception. This drastic policy shift has drawn little attention amidst broader cuts to American foreign aid, yet it threatens to escalate poverty levels and result in an increase in maternal mortality rates. Historically, U.S. funding accounted for approximately 40 percent of the financial resources allocated for family planning in 31 developing countries, totaling around $600 million in 2023. This investment provided contraceptive methods and associated medical services to more than 47 million women, averting an estimated 17.1 million unintended pregnancies and 5.2 million unsafe abortions, as reported by the Guttmacher Institute. Experts such as Marie Ba of the Ouagadougou Partnership have expressed grave concerns about the potential consequences, predicting that the absence of this funding could lead to 34,000 preventable maternal deaths annually. The cuts to these initiatives stem from the Trump administration's dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development, with the State Department remaining tight-lipped on the matter. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dubbed these aid projects wasteful and misaligned with U.S. strategic interests.