Hormonal Birth Control Availability - U.S.A

Birth control in general is a huge topic where you can dive into many different aspects, but this essay will focus on the accessibility of hormonal contraception in the United States of America. Birth control is a method of preventing pregnancies. Methods of hormonal contraception for women are for example the pill or an injection that women need a prescription for, unlike other contraception, like condoms, that are available over the counter. On average hormonal birth control is around 5% more effective than condoms in preventing pregnancies. Therefore, it would be better if this type of contraception should be more accessible to women of all ages.

Birth control revolutionized women's lives, allowing them to control their sexual health and the size of their family. This created better opportunities for women in the workforce, so that they were able to prioritize their education and careers and start families when they were ready. From 1960, the year when hormonal birth control was approved by the FDA, to 2015 around 20% more women entered the workforce. The percentage of university graduates that were women increased from 43% in 1970 to 60% in 2020. Allowing women to choose if they are ready to have a child, helps prevent teen pregnancies, illneses, or deaths from child birth, aswell as unsafe abortions. Other benefits are, lessening the risk of certain cancers, regulating menstrual cycles, and reducing PMS and hormonal acne, to name a few. Moreover, family planning has been a key solution in helping mothers better care for their children. The number of kids a woman has and how far apart they are born, provides children with the best start in life. Some people may argue that hormonal birth control has many side effects. This may be true, but these effects are minor compared to the effects of unwanted pregnancies and illigal abortions. Another argument is that this type of contraception promotes premarital sex. However, the fact is that people of all ages are going to have sex whether or not they have acsess to birthcontrol and contraception provides a safer option for women. 

The laws in the U.S.A. state that no person under the age of 16 can have sex, but we know that teenagers under this age limit will do so anyways, so it is safer to provide them with birthcontrol to help prevent teen pregnacies that can harm their bodies and cause unsafe births and abortions and lead to children giving up their education. Furthermore, over half of the states in the U.S.A. require parental consent for children under the age of 19 to start hormonal birth control. This again limits their rights to haveing healthy and safe sex. It is important for women to have freedom to choose themselves and it is better to help them do this safely and responsibly.

In conclusion, the benefits of having accessible hormonal birth control far out way the negative implications of unwanted pregnancies. It supports women persue their education and careers, helps them to provide a better life for their children and prevent unsafe child births or abortions. Clearly hormonal birth control must be easily accessible and affordable for all women.

(525 words)

Citations

Armstrong, Kennedy. Interview. By Vera Ashton. November 4, 2021.

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Germain, Edouard. Interview. By Vera Ashton. November 8, 2021.

Riegel, Robert E., and Lawrence Eager. “JSTOR: Access Check.” The Birth Control Controversy, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/45337037. Accessed 10 Nov. 2021.

Singh, Susheela. “Abortion Worldwide 2017: Uneven Progress and Unequal Access.” Guttmacher Institute, 7 Aug. 2020, www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-worldwide-2017.

STAT. “Sixty Years after ‘The Pill,’ the War on Contraception Continues.” STAT, Erin Saleeby, 5 July 2017, www.statnews.com/2017/07/06/the-pill-contraception-aca.