Reproductive Health Impact Study: Wisconsin’s Policy and Service Landscape

The Reproductive Health Impact Study (RHIS) is a comprehensive research initiative that analyzed the effects of federal and state policy changes on publicly funded US family planning care from 2017 to 2024. The Guttmacher Institute worked with research and policy partners in four states—Arizona, Iowa, New Jersey and Wisconsin—to document the impact of these policies on family planning service delivery and the patients who rely on this care. Wisconsin was selected as an RHIS focus state in 2019, following confirmation of significant shifts in Title X funding among state grantees. The information in this state profile reflects the landscape in Wisconsin during the RHIS study period.

Overall Findings

The RHIS findings demonstrate that restrictions on sexual and reproductive health and rights undermine people’s reproductive autonomy through negative outcomes at the patient, provider and system levels. The main study findings include:

• All types of sexual and reproductive health care are inextricably linked, and policy restrictions on sexual and reproductive health care have broader implications.
• Programs and policies that support person-centered care and focus on sexual and reproductive health equity are key to ensuring reproductive autonomy for all patients.
• Cost is a significant barrier to patients’ ability to access care and achieve reproductive autonomy.
• Person-centered contraceptive care is essential because contraceptive preferences vary.
• Publicly funded family planning programs, including Title X, are critical to making contraceptive services affordable.

Wisconsin’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Landscape

In 2020, Wisconsin was home to 1.3 million women of reproductive age (15–49), 26% of whom had incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level. In the same year, about 324,000 women in Wisconsin were considered likely to have a need for publicly supported contraceptive care. Additionally, 7% of women in Wisconsin aged 15–49 were uninsured in 2019, compared with a national average of 12%.

Publicly Funded Family Planning Services

During the study period, the number of female contraceptive patients served at publicly funded clinics in Wisconsin decreased. In 2020, about 51,000 female contraceptive patients were served at publicly funded family planning clinics in Wisconsin, a 38% decrease from 2015. Patients younger than 20 made up about 12,000 of this group, a 38% decrease from 2015. Only 16% of women in Wisconsin considered likely to have a need for publicly supported contraceptive care were served by publicly funded clinics in 2020, down from 24% in 2015.

Key Reproductive Health Data Summary

• Women of Reproductive Age (2020): 1.3 million
• Likely Need for Publicly Supported Care: 324,000 women
• Female Contraceptive Patients Served (2020): 51,000
• Decrease in Patients Served (2015-2020): 38%
• Uninsured Rate (2019): 7%
• Publicly Funded Clinics (2020): 121

Clinic Distribution and Policy Changes

The total number of publicly funded family planning clinics in Wisconsin decreased by 8% from 2015 to 2020, from 132 to 121. Of that total, the number of clinics receiving Title X funding nearly doubled, from 19 in 2015 to 37 in 2020, but the new sites served far fewer contraceptive patients than those that had left the Title X network as a result of 2019 changes in the program’s administrative regulations. State and federal policy changes enacted during the RHIS study period disrupted the publicly supported reproductive health care system in Wisconsin. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin had long been the state’s sole Title X grantee. In 2018, a Wisconsin state law went into effect, requiring the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to apply for Title X funding. The law further required Wisconsin DHS to prioritize distributing Title X funds to public organizations.

Clinical Practices and Specialized Care

At Women's Care of Wisconsin, we are devoted to you and your health. Our state-of-the-art OBGYN services include holistic pregnancy care, infertility diagnosis and treatment, minimally invasive surgical management of uterine fibroids, endometriosis and ovarian cysts, treatment of pelvic pain, incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, high-risk pregnancy care, and robotic surgeries. Regarding patient preferences, women in Wisconsin aged 18–44 most preferred to get contraceptives in-person from a provider (69%), from a pharmacy (67%) and via telehealth (58%) for pick-up or home delivery.

Safe Medications During Pregnancy

Today, there is much discussion and controversy about the use of medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We advocate not taking medication unless absolutely necessary. Be sure and speak with a pharmacist if you have any questions regarding any medication, especially if there are combinations of drugs in one medication. If you're breastfeeding, our lactation specialists also have information on the safety of various medications.