Poll: Gender gap on birth control

ATLANTA, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Women are significantly more likely than men to support a U.S. government requirement that insurers cover birth control, a poll released Tuesday indicated.

The survey of registered voters by Poll Position found 51 percent of male respondents opposed the mandate and 37 percent supported it. On the other side of the gender gap, 46 percent of women supported the mandate and 42 percent opposed it.

The partisan divide was significantly greater with Democrats supporting the mandate 70 percent to 19 percent and Republicans opposing it in an exact reversal.

Among independents, 47 percent opposed the mandate and 39 percent supported it.

Overall, 46 percent of respondents support the mandate and 42 percent oppose it. Younger people were more likely to support it.

Poll Position surveyed 1,242 registered voters by telephone Feb. 12. The margin of error was 3 percentage points.