Free Contraception Isn’t the Answer

Michael New sent me a helpful note about the latest, much-discussed study on free contraception:

Last week a study which appeared in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology had the mainstream media swooning. It purportedly found that providing no-cost contraception to women resulted in a dramatic decline in both teen birthrates and abortion rates. This study was covered by USA Today, CBS News, the Associated Press, and countless other media outlets

However, a closer look at the study reveals that there is a lot less than meets the eye. Specifically this study lacks an adequate control
group. It also uses an unorthodox data weighting mechanism. As such, it vastly overstates the effectiveness of this no-cost contraception program. Not surprisingly, the researchers also ignored the STD rate and other public health outcomes of women taking part in the study.

I should also note that there is a substantial body of peer reviewed research which documents the ineffectiveness of various contraception programs. However, these studies typically receive scant attention from the mainstream media.

Michael dives into the statistical details over at National Review .