A new study finds significantly more women opted for long-acting birth control methods after British Columbia made prescription contraception free.
Researchers found prescriptions for all types of birth control jumped significantly after the province began covering the cost of contraception in April 2023, especially for intrauterine devices (IUDs).
The study published Monday in the BMJ examined the prescriptions of nearly 860,000 women in the 15 months after contraception coverage began and compared them to what would have been expected without coverage.
It found a 49 per cent increase in prescriptions for IUDs, which are inserted into the uterus to prevent fertilization and considered 10 times more effective than pills or condoms.
Reached in Vancouver, lead author Laura Schummers said IUDs can cost up to $450 out-of-pocket.
"This tells us that costs alone are a huge barrier to the most effective methods of contraception across Canada,” said Schummers, an assistant professor in the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of British Columbia.
The study says roughly 11,000 additional women chose the more reliable option.
It examined prescriptions for women aged 15 to 49 between April 2023 and June 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
