Counter Birth Control Summary

For over 50 years birth control has been available to women but only through prescription. There are many women that don’t have health insurance, aren’t able to go to a clinic, or are too young and don’t have parental permission, hindering those who want to receive a prescription for birth control. Most people can easily access male/female condoms at nearly any local store. You can even purchase a “morning after” pill, known as Plan B, without a prescription. So why not sell oral contraceptives to women over the counter? Selling birth control over the counter can better help provide many health benefits for women, decrease teen pregnancy and abortion rates, and even save taxpayers money.

Over the counter birth control pills have been a topic of discussion for many women. Some might say it would pose many risks such as not receiving medical checkups and not knowing the side effects of birth control pills. Others may see it as a helpful to women because of the convenience of accessing the pills and not having to take time to schedule appointments. Additionally, due to health care and insurance policies some women might not have an easy access to birth control pills but the cost should not be a factor. Although over the counter birth control would allow an easier access for women, there are reasons why a doctor’s visit and a prescription are required to receive birth control pills.

Oral contraceptives have provided the world with great outcomes. Planned parenthood stated that birth control has “advanced women’s educational opportunities, led to more college-educated women pursuing advanced professional degrees, enhanced children’s well being in the long run, saved women money, reduced teen pregnancy, and reduced unwanted pregnancy” (“Birth Control” 1-3). The argument that birth control has done great things for society is obvious.

Healthcare professionals are faced with a multitude of ethical and legal conundrums. Since the introduction of birth control in American history, healthcare professionals have been put in situations to either follow their own moral and ethical beliefs, or choose to follow the law and give healthcare services to those who seek it. A large constituent to the disapproval of contraceptives other than natural family planning, is health professional’s religious beliefs. In addition, Adolescent females who need contraceptives are less likely to seek access to health care providers for these contraceptives in fear of personal information due to their age being released. Through the research provided, cases of pharmacist denial of prescribed or over the counter contraceptives to women have been the majority of conflict in this nation and in others.

Birth control is the practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies, especially by use of contraception. It also can be define as control of children or offspring born especially by preventing the frequency of conception. As there are many type of birth control method including hormonal method, barrier method, intrauterine device, natural method and emergency contraception. For hormonal birth control method is split into two types. The first one is combined contraceptive pills that contain two hormone (estrogen and progestin ) to prevent the pregnancy happening. As the function for combined contraceptive pills is to stop the ovum release and make the mucous of cervix become thick so it can stop the movement of sperm cells. The advantages for

Birth control has been a controversial topic since the 1960’s, when the pill arose on the scene and gained popularity. Men and women of certain religious faiths have sought to prevent other women from using birth control. However, most women want to be able to choose when the time is right for them to have a child. This is why birth control is essential, because it allows women and couples in general the freedom to choose and plan their families. In many cases the need to control women by controlling their access to birth control goes all the way to the federal government. The federal government determines what types of birth control are allowed on the market and who has access to them. Some Presidential administrations look more kindly

Women do not have to set an appointment with their doctor and having to wait a week or more for their appointment.But with the over the counter birth control, consumers can go to their local pharmacy and pick up their birth control pills. When over the counter pills are easier to access, the more patient will use it. Everybody in America should be able to receive birth control (Laura Bassett). Some women do not have access to a doctor which makes it harder for them to have birth control. Having over the counter birth control pill will be easier for people to have.

Birth control is utilized by a large portion of sexually active women in the United States (Planned Parenthood). Its benefits are innumerable. The uses of birth control spread through a wide variety of domains, from the prevention of diseases, to the treatment of disorders ranging from anemia to endometriosis. It can be used in conjunction with condoms in order to assure effectiveness and, as a whole, allows women to take control of certain aspects of their futures. Birth control is a fundamental aspect of many women’s lives and yet it remains a point of

Birth control has prevented many unwanted teen pregnancies, “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen births in the United States reached a historic low in 2015, which can be explained in large part by an increased use of contraception among young people” (Gebelhoff, Robert). As of right now, women have to get a prescription to get oral contraceptives from their doctor. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, this movement to make access to these contraceptives is supported by them. Although, teenagers are more likely to use birth control pills compared to using condoms, they are not being influenced by their sexual or emotional pressures. This article also says, the public-health benefits from

In contemporary American society, birth control has become more readily accessible to women, which is indicated by the increased usage of contraception in society. The number of birth

Although the majority of women can receive birth control from their insurance companies, there is still a need for over the counter birth control. Recently, contraception in the United States has become more of a political issue rather than a public health issue. Present-day contraceptives come in a variety of forms, but still have the same function; to prevent unintended pregnancies (Cartwright-Smith 541). Cartwright-Smith also stated that in addition, certain hormonal contraceptives are prescribed to treat medical conditions such as severe menstrual pain, excessive menstrual bleeding, acne, migraines, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids (541). There have been arguments about how over the counter birth control leads to “promiscuity”. Moreover,

Women today may have more choices but it has not always been this way. “Women of the past often didn’t get much a choice about their sexuality” (Bringle). However by 1950s, a pill to prevent pregnancy was created. Though this contraception was created, it was hard to get. A birth control advocate, Margaret Sanger, “attacked legislative restrictions on birth control”, informed many women the uses and positive aspects of using contraception, and encouraged doctors to give contraception guidance by opening “the first birth control clinic in New York in 1916” (Bringle). Even after the widespread information of birth control, the accessibility of it today is low. This pill is a necessity for women in today’s world and should be made more accessible. To use contraception, a doctor has to prescribe it and this prescription is rarely covered by

Women in today’s society have never known a time when contraceptive options were not available to them. As a general statement, acquiring some sort of contraceptives whether it is the pill, patch, condom, emergency contraception, or another of the many types of birth control is not difficult with the many options available to women today. However, backtrack to the early 1900’s and the story was completely different. In 1916, Margaret Sanger made contraceptive history by opening the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York. The fight for birth control began. It was not until years later in 1960 that the birth control pill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and since then many other varieties of birth control have made their way into the market (Kim & Wasik, 2011). Today, thanks to those like Margaret Sanger who fought for contraceptives, women and couples who wish to avoid pregnancy have more choices than ever before. (Egarter et al, 2013; Perry, 2015).

The topic that is up for discussion now will be birth control. I have just come across a life changing situation in my life in which I had to make a choice. I am a proud father of my soon to be 16 year old daughter. She has been having bad cramps and pain every month due to her menstrual cycle for the last 2 years. My wife and I have finally gotten to the point of deciding that she should be put on birth control. Now as a man the only birth control I know is the “Pill”. As I was doing research I have come to find out that I am so lost about the different types of birth control, the pros and cons, as well as the cost of each. After reading this report as a woman you should be a little bit wiser and as a guy

One of the many purposes of birth control is to avoid unwanted pregnancies. In this day and age the decision to take birth control should be a mere right and not a debate, but society has still not fully accepted the use of birth control even though “ninety-eight percent of women use birth control at some point in their lives” (Milligan, 2014, p. 3). Birth control has unfortunately earned a negative stigma because it allows women to have sex without getting pregnant and that is frowned upon throughout parts of society. Some members of society have even compared the use of birth control to abortion. Women who choose to take birth control should not be judged and the use of birth control amongst women should no longer be considered disgraceful. The reliable access to birth control should be made available to all women no matter their race, age, and class.