E103: The Social Domain of Family Planning

Decisions about family planning rarely happen in isolation. In the U.S., access to contraception, fertility care, and pregnancy-related services is shaped not only by individual choice, but by partners, families, employers, health care systems, and state policy—factors that can dramatically influence reproductive outcomes. Research consistently shows that social and structural conditions play a defining role in who can plan a pregnancy, delay one, or receive timely care.

In the social domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, are joined by Jessica Sanders, PhD, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Research at the ASCENT Center for Reproductive Health. Together, they explore how family planning decisions are shaped by layers of influence—from intimate partner dynamics and community access to poverty, misinformation, and shifting laws. The conversation examines how social forces enter even the most private decisions, and why understanding these pressures is essential for supporting truly informed, equitable reproductive care.