Ashley Hinson introduces bills aimed at expanding birth control access.
Published: 07 Apr 2026
Author: Towards Healthcare
Ashley Hinson is reintroducing legislation in Congress that would allow adults to access over-the-counter birth control.
The legislation continues Hinson’s long-standing work on bills related to contraceptives and maternal health, even as her Democratic opponents criticise her record on reproductive health care and abortion as she runs for U.S. Senate.
Hinson’s bill, the Allow Increasing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act, would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to give priority review to already-approved oral contraceptives to allow them to be sold over the counter without a prescription.
Market growth is driven by birth control pills.
According to Towards Healthcare, the U.S. contraceptive market is projected to experience significant growth, with estimates suggesting the market size will increase from USD 11.52 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 20.66 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% from 2026 to 2035, driven by the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, increased awareness of reproductive health and family planning, and advancements in contraceptive pills.
Hinson stated, "We should make it easier for adult women to access safe, effective over-the-counter birth control options," to the Des Moines Register. She also said that many women have to drive long distances to get the care and prescriptions they need. Her legislation would allow adult women to access FDA-approved contraception at their local pharmacy.
Hinson’s legislation
This bill would not apply to emergency contraceptives or any drugs approved to induce abortion. It is focused on the birth control pill. Access is given to anyone 18 years old or older. In 2022, she voted against a Democratic-led bill, the Right to Contraception Act, which would have more broadly protected the right to access contraceptives.
In each term, she introduced the legislation in Congress since 2022, her efforts were cosponsored by fellow members of Iowa’s delegation, U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst has led the effort to pass the bill in the Senate, supported by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Hinson is also introducing the Access to LARCs Act, referring to long-acting reversible contraception. The bill instructs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to study barriers that community health centres in rural areas face when it comes to offering different forms of birth control.
A recent report by Towards Healthcare highlights that the U.S. contraceptive market is witnessing government support and company innovate and evolving needs of consumers, which focuses on sexual health and raising awareness of family planning.