WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has led efforts in the Senate to pass legislation aimed at ensuring women 18 years old and up can access over-the-counter birth control at their nearest local pharmacy, as well as improve birth control options for adult women in rural areas.
In an interview with The Daily Iowan, Ernst said she has always been excited about the opportunity to prevent pregnancy rather than end a pregnancy.
“I am adamantly pro-life, so if we can stop an unwanted pregnancy before it ever occurs, that’s the way I’d like to see it go,” Ernst said.
To encourage pharmaceutical companies to make sure those products remain low cost for low-income and rural Iowans who may face barriers to care, she led the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act in the Senate.
“If we do see a lot of participation in over the counter birth control, I think we can keep the cost low,” she said. “I think it’s really, really important.”
This initiative is seen at the state-level as well. In the 2024 legislative session, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced a bill to prevent unplanned pregnancies, and in turn, reduce the number of abortions.
Reynolds has continued to push for over the counter contraceptives, and included it in her priorities for the 2026 Iowa legislative session.
In March 2026, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, reintroduced these two pieces of legislation to allow access to the over-the-counter birth control options.
The bills would not apply to emergency contraceptives or any drugs approved to induce abortion.
The “Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act” was introduced alongside fellow members of Iowa’s delegation, U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn, and is aimed to prioritize review of contraceptives and allows women 18 and up to access FDA-approved, over-the-counter birth control, and allow them to be sold without a prescription.
The “Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives” was introduced alongside Miller-Meeks in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is aimed at supporting greater availability of highly effective, long-term birth control options like IUDs and arm implants by addressing barriers that limit access.
In 2022, Hinson voted against a Democratic-led bill, the Right to Contraception Act, which would have more broadly protected the right to access contraceptives.
According to the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa, the organization believes all people deserve access to birth control and other preventive care.
According to the website, more than 175,000 women in Iowa live in contraceptive deserts, meaning they lack access to the full range of contraceptive options.
More than one-third of female voters have struggled to afford prescription birth control and, as a result, used it inconsistently, the website said.
Planned Parenthood believes it’s not just a health issue — it’s an economic issue, and no one should have to choose between paying for birth control and paying for other essentials.