Family PlanningHome Page FeaturedNewsReproductive HealthWomen's Health

The Potential Impacts of Delaying “Non-Essential” Reproductive Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author(s):
Share

A new KFF brief outlines the potential impacts of delaying reproductive health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to reduce the risk of coronavirus exposure and preserve personal protective equipment, government agencies and professional health societies were tasked with providing guidance on which health care services to consider “essential” and which to consider “elective” and postpone. As a result, large declines in patient encounters have been observed within reproductive health care, particularly for preventive health services (e.g. cancer screening), infertility care, contraception and sexually transmitted infections. While many of the conditions deemed “non-essential” are not life-threatening, they can result in significant morbidity and poor quality of life if delayed.

Recent KFF polling data finds that more than half (54%) of US women reported they or a family member have skipped or postponed medical care due to the coronavirus outbreak. As states begin to reopen and health systems resume more in-person care, many women said they plan to seek care in the next one to three months. However, policymakers and providers may have to again contend with deciding which services can be delayed in the event of future surges of COVID-19 cases.

Read the full brief here.

Get your free subscription to the Women's Healthcare Newsletter!

Women's Healthcare Newsletter Sidebar

Enter your email to receive our bi-weekly newsletter from the publishers of Women's Healthcare

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
*By submitting your e-mail, you are opting in to receiving information from Healthcom Media and Affiliates. The details, including your email address/mobile number, may be used to keep you informed about future products and services.

Quiz

According to the CDC, approximately how many women will develop breast cancer in their life?
You must be logged in to post a comment.

Poll

Get your free subscription to the Women's Healthcare Newsletter!

Women's Healthcare Newsletter Sidebar

Enter your email to receive our bi-weekly newsletter from the publishers of Women's Healthcare

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
*By submitting your e-mail, you are opting in to receiving information from Healthcom Media and Affiliates. The details, including your email address/mobile number, may be used to keep you informed about future products and services.