Liberals aren’t the only ones in denial about marriage. Conservatives cling to the belief that tinkering with welfare eligibility and tax policies can dramatically increase marriage rates. Removing marriage penalties and disincentives can be wise policy, but government cannot reverse the dramatic cultural shift away from two-parent households that has occurred since the 1960s.

There may, however, be a middle ground. Although government can do little to persuade two people to stay together, there is an enormous amount it can do to help women prevent unwanted pregnancies. The latest development in birth control — intrauterine implants, known as long-lasting reversible contraceptives — offers the best protection against pregnancy. And over the long run, those devices are cheaper than the pill. Those cost savings led South Carolina and Texas to change their Medicaid reimbursement rules to allow doctors to more easily order them, as Illinois and New York have also done. 

If more states follow, more women will be in a better position to avoid unwanted pregnancies and have children when they are ready — and when, hopefully, the father is ready too.