Every year, American women have 1.5 million unplanned pregnancies

Having a baby is expensive. The average total price for pregnancy and newborn care is about $30,000 for vaginal deliveries and $50,000 for C-sections.

State and federal governments cover the these costs for about half of all pregnancies in the United States. And a new analysis from the Guttmacher Institute shows that, in 2010, $21 billion in taxpayer dollars went towards covering the costs of unintended pregnancy.

The government pays for 68 percent of unintended pregnancies

(The Guttmacher Institute)

There were roughly 4 million pregnancies in the United States in 2010.  Of those, 1.5 million were unplanned. Government programs (mostly Medicaid) tend to foot the bill for a higher proportions of unplanned pregnancies, paying the health care costs for two-thirds of the 1.5 million unplanned pregnancies — including those ending in birth, miscarriage and abortion.

19 states spent at least $400 million on unintended pregnancies

(The Guttmacher Institute)

Texas has the highest spending on unintended births; Guttmacher estimates that $2.9 billion in state and federal funds get spent annually on women's care. California is next ($1.7 billion) followed by New York ($1.5 billion) and Florida ($1.3 billion).

Explanatory journalism is a public good

At Vox, we believe that everyone deserves access to information that helps them understand and shape the world they live in. That's why we keep our work free. Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$95/year

$120/year

$250/year

$350/year

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $120/year

Yes, I'll give $120/year

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via