Do price regulations on birth control pills decrease fertility?

• In Event: Contraception, Fertility, and Health in Changing Policy Landscapes

Abstract

In 2018, the Colombian government intervened in the pharmaceutical market by creating cap 
prices on high-cost birth control pills. Given the necessity of these drugs, the effects of price 
reductions are not always clear. Also, there is no evidence of whether the policy effectively 
increased access to contraception and reduced pregnancy rates. Therefore, this study aims to 
analyze fertility changes due to price caps on birth control pills. Using administrative claims from 
an insurer in the contributory regime, I found little evidence that price regulation affected fertility, 
even for the young ones. The results do not support the efficacy of the policy in its goal.

Author

• Ana Melissa Perez Castano, University of Minnesota
  Presenting Author