While women across the country report that birth control has a significant, positive impact on their lives, two in five women do not use any birth control at all.

Nearly two in five (40%) women of reproductive age reported currently using no form of birth control according to the “Contraception in America: A National Landmark Survey of Women of Reproductive Age and Physicians Treating Women” study. The most common reasons for not using using birth control were that they believed they were infertile or were not sexually active.

But in a new study published in the journal Contraception, “Reasons for using contraception: perspectives of US women seeking care at specialized family planning clinics”, women report that birth control allows them to take better care of themselves or their families, support themselves financially, complete their education or keep or get a job

“Contraception in America” found that the the most common methods of contraception reported in the study were the pill, tubal ligation, the male condom and the intrauterine device (IUD). However, many women were unfamiliar with different types of birth control and what kind would best fit their needs.