ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Birth control, fertility, and testing
Google Ads restricts ads for birth control, fertility and testing in the countries its policy lists, and those locations are closed to these ads. The rule covers ads and destinations that promote these products. Remove the listed locations from targeting first, then edit the ad copy and the landing page, and check the status after review.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The ad stops serving where the policy applies.
- How serious
- Low on its own. Google issues a warning at least 7 days before any account suspension, but repeated violations can lead to one.
What it means
The policy covers birth control, fertility and sexually transmitted infection products and services. The page gives condoms, birth control pills, fertility testing, surrogacy services and STI testing as examples, and says the list is not exhaustive.
It sits under the broader healthcare and medicines policy, and the restriction is by location. The same ad can be fine in one country and disapproved in another. Display & Video 360 users must also comply and check that product's help center for extra limits.
What actually triggers it
A campaign that targets a listed country
Each location on the page's list is closed to these ads. A campaign that includes one of them in its targeting can be disapproved there, even when the rest of the targeting is allowed.
A product line that includes one of the examples
Condoms, birth control pills, fertility testing, surrogacy services and STI testing are the page's own examples. A product line that includes one of them is covered, whatever kind of business sells it.
A testing kit sold beside general health products
STI testing is named on the page. A testing kit listed in a general health or lifestyle store is covered when an ad promotes it, even if the store sells many other products.
A Display & Video 360 campaign
Display & Video 360 users must also comply, and that product's help center lists additional restrictions. A campaign built there is checked against both sets of rules.
Fix it in this order
- In Google Ads, go to Ads under the Campaigns menu, and note each ad or asset marked Disapproved.
- Remove the listed locations from the campaign's location targeting. The restriction is by location, so this is the first step.
- Hover over the ad or asset, select Edit, revise the copy to comply and select Save. Re-review typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
- Check the landing page the ad links to. The policy covers destinations as well as ads, so a compliant ad that sends people to a listed product is still disapproved.
- If an ad cannot be fixed, remove it to help prevent future suspensions for repeated violations.
A warning, if one comes, arrives at least 7 days before any account suspension, so there is time to finish the fix.
When to appeal
Appeal from the account when the ad does not promote one of these products, or when the flagged location is not on the list.
If the ad is covered and the location is listed, edit first. The page says an ad that the review finds compliant can run again, so the edit is what changes the result.
Often confused with
Another testing category with its own country list. The HIV rule is narrower: it permits promotion in four countries, with conditions, and does not allow it in most others.
Restricted targeting in Personalized advertising
Birth control is on that page's list of sensitive categories, which restricts audiences rather than locations. This page is about where the ad runs. The targeting page is about who the campaign reaches.