Little River Medical Center seeing rise in post-pandemic demand for birth control

One of the Grand Strand’s largest medical providers is keeping up with meteoric post-pandemic demand for birth control products thanks to its unique partnership with a Columbia nonprofit.

Since 2017, the Little River Medical Center has seen its family planning program expand by 600%, providing birth control services to more than 11,000 patients during the first two years of the pandemic, including 7,000 during 2021 alone.

“These services are critical to women in our community, including many low-income and uninsured women, and have been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic with many providers ceasing in-person family planning appointments,” Little River Medical Center CEO Pamela Davis said.

Much of that demand has been met thanks to a nearly $2 million commitment from New Morning, a nonprofit known for its interstate billboard campaign advocating the availability of free and low-cost birth control methods.

Bonnie Kapp, New Morning’s executive director, said primary healthcare facilities including LRMC stepped in to fill a family planning void when state-run clinics either shut down or reallocated services during the pandemic.

“We are just really proud of the work that’s going on,” she said.

One in three women either delayed or canceled visits to healthcare providers for sexual or reproductive care during the pandemic, according to The Guttmacher Institute

And in South Carolina where low birth weights, preterm births and maternal mortality rates all run above national averages, Kapp said broadening access to birth control devices is sound public health policy.

“The majority of abortions are related to unintended pregnancies, so if you reach more women, and they are able to control their own fertility, they’re able to face pregnancies,” she said. “We as a state need to be working upstream from the abortion conversation.”

This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 12:00 AM.