Birth Control Is a Big Deal

Nearly every American woman at risk of becoming pregnant is currently using birth control. According to the latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 89 percent of women aged 15 to 44 who are at risk of becoming pregnant (meaning they are sexually active and not pregnant) are using birth control. There is almost no variation in birth control use by demographic characteristic.

Percent who use birth control by religion
No religion: 86.9%
Catholic: 88.7%
Baptist/fundamentalist Protestant: 89.9%
Other Protestant: 90.2%

Percent who use birth control by education
Not a high school graduate: 88.3%
High school graduate only: 90.2%
Some college, no degree: 91.5%
Bachelor's degree or more: 89.6%

Percent who use birth control by race/Hispanic origin
Asian: 89.7%
Black: 82.8%
Hispanic, born in US: 89.5%
Hispanic, foreign born: 89.7%
Non-Hispanic white: 90.5%

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Current Contraceptive Use in the United States, 2006-2010, and Changes in Patterns of Use Since 1995