Tariffs Threaten Reproductive Health Access
When costs rise, care disappears—not because the need goes away, but because access slips further from those who need it most.
President Trump’s recent tariff package, including a 25% tax on imported autos and an upcoming 10% baseline tariff on all imports, is widely expected to trigger significant inflationary effects across the U.S. economy. Experts project that the tariffs could cost the average American household between $1,500 and $3,800 annually due to price increases across sectors, including prescription drugs. The costs of imported goods, including oil and car parts, are expected to rise sharply, with the price of a new vehicle potentially increasing by as much as $12,000.
These inflationary pressures function as a regressive tax on working-class families, disproportionately burdening those already struggling economically. This widespread economic strain has cascading effects across the healthcare system and is particularly detrimental to access to reproductive health.
Higher Healthcare Supply Costs and Reproductive Care
The healthcare sector is particularly vulnerable to import tariffs due to its dependence on global supply chains. Tariffs have historically increased the cost of medical devices and pharmaceuticals. In 2019 alone, tariffs on Chinese medical goods raised U.S. equipment costs by $400 million. Current healthcare executives anticipate rising costs due to the new tariffs, with 82% predicting an increase of at least 15% in operating expenses.
Reproductive healthcare providers will feel this impact acutely. Devices like IUDs, ultrasounds, and medications used in reproductive care are vulnerable to cost increases (Femalytics Policy Brief, 2025). These rising costs may compel clinics to increase prices or reduce services, thereby undermining access to care, particularly for lower-income patients.
Strain on Reproductive Health Funding and Nonprofit Providers
Programs like Title X have not kept pace with inflation; the program has remained at approximately $286 million annually for a decade, despite a projected need of $1.38 billion to meet demand. At the same time, nonprofit clinics in Minnesota and across the country face higher operating costs while trying to serve an increasing number of patients.
Minnesota’s pending Reproductive Health Equity Grant Fund could provide some relief, but inflation could erode its effectiveness. Higher costs for equipment, labor, and supplies may reduce the reach of the proposed $30 million investment.
Impacts on Low-Income Communities and Reproductive Justice
Tariff-induced inflation acts as a silent barrier to reproductive care for low-income people. The cost of traveling to another state for abortion access—a necessity for many post-Dobbs—has surged along with fuel and lodging prices. Abortion funds are stretched thin; despite record fundraising, they have had to reduce the amount of support offered per patient due to soaring demand and higher costs.
Economic downturns associated with tariffs may also lead to job losses, which in turn result in loss of insurance and reduced ability to afford care. These consequences will fall heaviest on Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, exacerbating existing reproductive justice inequities.
Early Warnings and Outlook
Health economists and healthcare providers are sounding the alarm. Organizations like the American Hospital Association are calling for exemptions on essential medical imports, warning that without swift action, the quality and accessibility of care will deteriorate. Reproductive health leaders share this concern, emphasizing that the right to access care is not merely a legal issue, but also an economic one. When rising costs put care out of reach, especially for those already marginalized, legal access becomes meaningless. Protecting reproductive freedom requires confronting the economic policies that threaten to undermine it.