Market Analysis – 93141603 – Birth reporting or control services

Market Analysis: Birth Reporting & Control Services (93141603)

1. Executive Summary

The global market for birth control services and products is valued at est. $28.5 billion and is projected to grow at a 6.7% CAGR over the next three years, driven by increasing health awareness and female workforce participation. The primary market dynamic is the tension between technological innovation improving access and an increasingly restrictive regulatory environment in key regions, which poses the single greatest threat to service continuity. For corporate procurement, the opportunity lies in leveraging digital health platforms to enhance employee benefits and using data-driven metrics to optimize CSR investments in this category.

2. Market Size & Growth

The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for the global contraceptives market, which underpins birth control services, is substantial and expanding. Growth is primarily fueled by rising demand in the Asia-Pacific region, though North America remains the largest market by value. The market is forecast to exceed $40 billion by 2028, driven by product innovation and expanding access through public and private channels.

[Source - Grand View Research, Jan 2023]

Largest Geographic Markets (by value): 1. North America 2. Europe 3. Asia-Pacific

3. Key Drivers & Constraints

1. Demand Driver: Increasing female education rates and participation in the global workforce are strongly correlated with higher demand for family planning and contraceptive services.
2. Technology Driver: The proliferation of FemTech and telehealth platforms is democratizing access to consultations and prescriptions, bypassing traditional geographic and logistical barriers.
3. Policy Driver: Government and NGO-led initiatives aimed at improving reproductive health awareness and subsidizing contraceptive costs continue to expand the addressable market, particularly in developing economies.
4. Regulatory Constraint: Heightened political and legal challenges in key markets, particularly the United States, create significant uncertainty and can lead to sudden disruptions in service access and provider availability.
5. Access Constraint: Disparities in healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural and low-income areas, limit the reach of services. The high cost of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) remains a barrier for underinsured populations.

4. Competitive Landscape

Barriers to entry are High, characterized by stringent regulatory approval processes (e.g., FDA, EMA), extensive R&D investment for new products, and the established trust and scale of incumbent providers.

⮕ Tier 1 Leaders * Organon & Co. (NYSE: OGN): A pure-play women's health leader with a dominant portfolio of contraceptive products (e.g., Nexplanon). * Bayer AG (ETR: BAYN): A major pharmaceutical player with leading IUDs (Mirena, Kyleena) and oral contraceptives. * Planned Parenthood Federation of America: The largest single provider of reproductive health services in the U.S., with immense brand recognition and political influence. * MSI Reproductive Choices: A leading global NGO providing contraception and safe abortion services in 37 countries, primarily through donor funding.

⮕ Emerging/Niche Players * Nurx / SimpleHealth (Thirty Madison): Digital health platforms providing asynchronous telehealth consultations and prescription delivery. * Agile Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AGRX): Focuses on innovative contraceptive products, such as the Twirla transdermal patch. * Evofem Biosciences (OTCMKTS: EVFM): Innovator in non-hormonal contraceptive methods with its Phexxi vaginal gel.

5. Pricing Mechanics

Pricing for this category is multifaceted, depending on the procurement channel. For corporate employee benefits, pricing is typically structured on a fee-for-service basis embedded within health insurance claims or through a Per-Employee-Per-Month (PEPM) fee for supplemental digital health services. The final cost to the payer is a build-up of the contraceptive product cost (drug/device), clinician professional fees, facility/administrative charges, and pharmacy/distributor markups.

For CSR initiatives funding NGOs, the model is typically grant-based, with costs justified by program reach and impact metrics. The most volatile cost elements in the supply chain are not the services themselves, but the inputs required to deliver them.

Most Volatile Cost Elements (est. 24-month change): 1. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs): Key inputs for hormonal contraceptives, subject to global supply chain pressures. est. +8% 2. Skilled Clinical Labor: Wages for nurse practitioners and OB/GYNs, driven by healthcare labor shortages. est. +6% 3. Logistics & Cold Chain: Transportation costs, particularly for temperature-sensitive products, impacted by fuel and specialized handling fees. est. +15%

6. Recent Trends & Innovation

• Corporate Benefits Expansion (Jun 2022 - Present): Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, dozens of major corporations publicly expanded healthcare benefits to include travel and lodging support for employees needing to access out-of-state reproductive services.
• Telehealth Integration (2021 - Present): The pandemic cemented telehealth as a primary channel for contraceptive counseling and prescription renewals. Payers and providers have now fully integrated virtual care pathways into standard benefits design.
• Pharma Spinoff & Focus (Jun 2021): Merck & Co. completed the spinoff of Organon, creating a large, publicly-traded company dedicated to women's health. This move signaled strong investor confidence and a strategic prioritization of the contraceptive and reproductive health market.

7. Supplier Landscape

8. Regional Focus: North Carolina (USA)

Demand outlook in North Carolina is bifurcated. The state's strong population growth, particularly in the Research Triangle and Charlotte metro areas, drives underlying demand for all healthcare services. However, the political and regulatory environment for reproductive health is contentious. Recent legislative restrictions on abortion access have created a "chilling effect," placing greater strain on the remaining family planning providers and potentially limiting the willingness of new clinicians to practice in the state. Local capacity is a mix of county health departments, non-profit clinics (e.g., Planned Parenthood South Atlantic), and private practices, with significant access deserts in rural counties. For corporate buyers, ensuring equitable access for employees across the state is a key challenge.

9. Risk Outlook

10. Actionable Sourcing Recommendations

1. Diversify Employee Access via Digital Health. Supplement traditional insurance networks by contracting directly with a national telehealth provider for contraceptive care. This mitigates geographic access gaps for remote or rural employees and improves privacy. Target a value-based contract focused on prescription fulfillment rates and user satisfaction, aiming for 15% adoption by eligible employees within 12 months.

2. Mandate Outcome-Based Metrics for CSR Funding. For all community investments in this category, shift grant requirements from activity reporting (e.g., # of sessions held) to impact metrics. Require NGO partners to report on the Cost per Couple-Year of Protection (CYP). This standardizes performance measurement across partners, ensures funding is tied to tangible outcomes, and provides defensible data for ESG reports.