Giving Compass' Take:

· Global Citizen talks about the work of Upstream, a new nonprofit organization training health centers across the state of Delaware to provide women with any form of contraception they desire. By providing women with these options and reducing the number of unintended pregnancies, Upstream hopes to help lift people out of poverty. 

· What are some factors that contribute to high numbers of poverty? What is the relationships between poverty and unplanned pregnancies? 

· Here's more on reducing poverty with contraception around the world. 

Contraception is a top priority for the state of Delaware, thanks to the organization Upstream.

The nonprofit program is training health centers in the state to make sure women receive any form of birth control they want, the New York Times reports. State officials are trying to reduce unintended pregnancies and help women escape poverty by ensuring all women of childbearing age who enter a doctor’s office are asked if they want to get pregnant in the next year, and offered birth control options. Nearly every medical provider in the state has adopted the program within the past three years.

“I think if we’re looking for the biggest levers we have in this country to expand opportunity, one of the most important ones is helping women to achieve their own goals,” Upstream co-founder Mark Edwards told the New York Times.

Upstream raises money from foundations and individuals to provide states with initial funding and staff to train health professionals. The program ends up costing $200 per woman, but Upstream thinks it’s worth it because the benefits can last years.

Read the full article about contraception to reduce poverty in the US by Leah Rodriguez at Global Citizen.