About Colorado's Family Planning Program

Why is family planning a public health issue? Our goal is to reduce unintended pregnancy by ensuring all Coloradans have access to affordable and quality reproductive health services.
Family Planning Annual Report, 2020.
Colorado family planning data
About unintended pregnancy

Nearly half of all pregnancies in Colorado are unintended, meaning they occur sooner than desired or occur when no pregnancy is desired.

  • Unintended pregnancies are associated with:
    • Birth defects.
    • Low birth weight.
    • Elective abortion.
    • Maternal depression.
    • Increased risk of child abuse.
    • Lower educational attainment.
    • Delayed entry into prenatal care.
    • High risk of physical violence during pregnancy.
    • Reduced rates of breastfeeding.
  • Teen mothers are less likely than their peers to earn a high school diploma or GED.

Women facing an unplanned pregnancy are at greater risk for a number of social, economic and health problems. Nearly all unplanned pregnancies occur to women who weren't using birth control at all, or not using it correctly or consistently.

  • Since 2008, Colorado has successfully increased access to family planning services throughout the state, particularly for the most effective contraceptive methods, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants.

  • The Colorado Family Planning Initiative has increased health care provider education and training and reduced costs for more expensive contraceptive options, enabling more than 30,000 women in the state to choose long-acting reversible contraception.