Almost one in three women face barriers in accessing the Government’s free contraception scheme, according to a new report.
The scheme covered 17- to 25-year-olds when it began in September 2022, but eligibility has gradually been expanded to women aged 17 to 35 years.
It was introduced to remove financial barriers to reproductive healthcare and reduce crisis pregnancies. It covers the contraceptive pill and long-acting reversible forms such as the bar or coil.
A report published on Wednesday found migrant women, LGBTQ+ people, Travellers and people with disabilities can struggle to avail of the initiative.
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It found issues – such as lack of knowledge, age, inability to access a GP and intrusive questioning – meant about 31 per cent had difficulties in accessing the scheme.
Negative and misinformed attitudes towards some marginalised groups by some healthcare providers were also highlighted in the report. Disabled women highlighted that information was not readily available in accessible formats and that access to services was limited.
The research, conducted by the National Women’s Council and Trinity College Dublin, and commissioned by the Department of Health, was based on a sample of 500 women.
“There may be cultural beliefs shaping attitudes to contraception, which create barriers to access particularly in Traveller and migrant communities,” the report found.
“Traveller women discussed the dynamics of coercive control and abuse when it comes to reproductive autonomy. These communities, alongside disabled women, also expressed discomfort at discussing contraception with male GPs.”
The research also found some Traveller women were reluctant to access the scheme due to “low trust” in the health system.
Dr Leigh-Ann Sweeney, principal investigator at Trinity College Dublin, said although many women have access to free contraception “significant gaps remain”.
“Lack of eligibility is the main barrier. Women over 35 are ineligible for the scheme as are asylum seekers and undocumented women,” she said. “In addition, there are many barriers that concern access to the healthcare system in general. This particularly applies to marginalised women.”
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Corrinne Hasson, executive director of the National Women’s Council, said access to contraception was “recognised internationally as a fundamental human right”.
The council called “for all eligibility requirements to be removed” so that everyone who needs contraception can access it.
“In addition, information should be produced in multiple languages and accessible formats to reach migrant and disabled women,” Hasson said. “We are also calling for gender-sensitivity training that would include antiracism, anti-bias, LGBTIQ+ inclusion and cultural-competency training [to] be rolled out across our health services.”
