About 1 in 4 Wisconsinites (24%) report needing but not receiving one or more types of reproductive health care in the past 12 months, according to the Reproductive Health Experiences and Access Study (RHEA). These health care services include cancer screenings, birth control, care for irregular or painful periods, and fertility, gender-affirming, and menopause care.
In addition, 6% of Wisconsin respondents reported they delayed or had trouble getting the birth control method they wanted in the past year. People cited cost, insurance challenges, and difficulty securing an appointment as common barriers to desired birth control.
The RHEA survey is a large multiyear assessment of reproductive health access, experiences, and preferences across 13 states following the 2022 Dobbs decision, with a focus on people facing barriers to care. In 2024 and 2025, more than 50,000 people assigned female at birth, ages 18 to 49, responded, including 2,900 participants in Wisconsin.
Nationally, nearly one-third (30%) of survey respondents reported that their reproductive health needs were not being met. Likewise, 7% of respondents reported delays or difficulty obtaining their desired birth control in the past year.
Both in Wisconsin and overall, barriers to reproductive health care were not evenly distributed across the population — young adults, people with disabilities, with public or no health insurance, or with low incomes, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+ were more likely to report challenges accessing care.
The Urban Institute, Reproductive Equity Action Lab (CORE’s colleagues at UW–Madison), and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective led the study.
Individual fact sheets are available for Wisconsin and other states, presenting state-level RHEA findings.