Center for the Economics of Reproductive Health2022-03-23T13:24:30-05:00

The Center for the Economics of Reproductive Health

The Center for the Economics of Reproductive Health at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) seeks to advance public understanding and awareness of the link between access to reproductive health care services for women and their long-term economic security and well-being. We conduct original research and policy analysis at the intersections of race, ethnicity, class, and reproductive health to improve economic outcomes, and educational and employment opportunities for all women.

Promising Practices
Promising Practices to Promote Student Success

Sexual and reproductive health and well-being plays a central role in the lives of young adults. The report describes existing gaps in service provision and highlights a range of practices that can be replicated and scaled up to expand access for community college students.

Promising Practices
The Costs of Reproductive Health Restrictions: An Economic Case for Ending Harmful State Policies

At the national level, state-level abortion restrictions cost $105 billion USD per year—by reducing labor force participation and earnings levels and increasing turnover and time off from work among women ages 15 to 44 years.

New analysis by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows that restrictive reproductive health policies put economies and business environments at unnecessary risk and limits women’s economic potential.

Promising Practices
The Economic Effects of Abortion Access

Deciding whether and when to have a child is central to a woman’s economic well-being. It has implications for continuing education and joining the workforce, which can affect other long-term economic outcomes. As threats to abortion access increase and widen existing disparities, it is crucial to examine the range of economic effects that can result from this changing landscape.

Contraceptive Access
The Economic Effects of Contraceptive Access

A recent IWPR report examines the relationship between contraceptive access in the United States and a number of economic outcomes, based on a body of research that identifies causal impacts—rather than associations—of contraceptive access.

previous arrowprevious arrow
next arrownext arrow

For the Class of 2023 in the Northeast, State Abortion Laws are a Key Factor in College Decisions, According to a New Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) Poll

For Immediate Release May 8, 2023 Contact: William Lutz 202-785-5100 For the Class of 2023 in the Northeast, State Abortion Laws are a Key Factor in College Decisions, According to a New Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) Poll WASHINGTON, D.C. — State laws banning [...]

By |May 9, 2023|

As States Eye Texas-Style Abortion Bans, Economic Costs to Bottom Line and Women are High

Implementing abortion bans in target states like Texas could cost local economies nearly $20 billion and hurt women’s earnings and labor force participation.

By |September 13, 2021|

Centering the Student Voice: Community Colleges and Sexual and Reproductive Health Access in Texas and Mississippi

Community college students’ lives outside of the classroom—including their sexual and reproductive health— can directly impact their ability to succeed in school, yet most community colleges do not provide sexual and reproductive health services (Bernstein and Reichlin Cruse 2020). Growing efforts to implement holistic approaches to student success also often ignore the role that sexual and reproductive health outcomes can play students’ academic careers.

By |January 12, 2021|

Serving the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Community College Students: Promising Practices to Promote Student Success

Sexual and reproductive health and well-being plays a central role in the lives of young adults. The report describes existing gaps in service provision and highlights a range of practices that can be replicated and scaled up to expand access for community college students.

By |August 9, 2020|

Improving Success in Higher Education through Increased Access to Reproductive Health Services

Pregnancy and childbearing have implications for a number of economic and social outcomes, including educational attainment (Sonfield et al. 2013). Yet young people are often left without the knowledge and tools to make informed reproductive health decisions. The majority of adolescents and young adults are sexually active but many hold incorrect or limited information about how to effectively avoid unintended pregnancies.

By |January 31, 2020|
Go to Top