In most countries in the world, women are able to access birth control without a prescription. However, today, women in the United States are unable to get birth control over-the-counter. But this is about to change in at least two states.
California and Oregon are the two states that have passed laws to expand access to contraceptives – and more states are expected to follow suit. In both states, women will be able to get birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives directly from their pharmacists, without a prescription from a doctor. The changes will go into effect this October in California and next January in Oregon.
Below are six reasons why birth control should be available over-the-counter in the United States.
1.) Health benefits for women
In 2011, the Guttmacher Institute estimated that 1.5 million women use birth control to help with medical issues such as ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, endometriosis and endometrial cancer. They also found that more than 58% of birth control users cite other medical issues in addition to preventing a pregnancy, such as reducing cramps or menstrual pain, preventing menstrual side effects, and treating acne.
2.) Better care for women and their families
In a study by Jennifer Frost and Laura Lindberg of the Guttmacher Institute, it was found that women use birth control because it “allows them to better care for themselves and their families, complete their education and achieve economic security.”
Earlier this week, I asked Rachelle Suissa, president of the Brooklyn-Queens National Organization for Women (NOW) about the importance of birth control being more accessible. According to Suissa:
“Birth control should be more accessible for women in the United States because increasing numbers of women in their twenties and early thirties are choosing to postpone marriage and motherhood in favor of pursuing academic, career and other related goals.
“Therefore, birth control is essential to their ability to achieve the work-life balance so that when they have completed their professional goals, they would be able to successfully focus on having a family. Having access to birth control is key to increasing the number of women on corporate boards, school boards, and in public office.”
3.) Access to birth control reduces the teen birth rate
Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced that the state’s teen birth rate dropped 40% between 2009 and 2013. This was in large part due to a program that provides contraception to low-income women.
4.) Access to birth control decreases abortion rates
Lack of readily available contraception and sex education is one of the top reasons for abortions. Last year, a study by Washington University School of Medicine researchers, showed that when barriers to contraceptive access are removed, teen pregnancy and abortion rates plummet.
5.) Seventy per cent of Americans favor legalising over-the-counter birth control
Today, over 99% of women ages 15-44 have used at least one contraceptive method. This is an issue which women across the political spectrum seem to agree with- it should be available without a prescription. According to a Reason-Rupe poll, “70 per cent of Americans favor legalizing over-the-counter birth control pills and patches without a doctor’s prescription.”
6.) It saves taxpayers billions of dollars
According to a study posted in the New England Journal of Medicine:
“In 2010, births involving teenage mothers cost the United States nearly $10 billion in increased public assistance and health care and in income lost as a result of lower educational attainment and reduced earnings among children born to teenage mothers.”
By preventing pregnancies, taxpayers would save billions of dollars each year.
Full disclosure: I work for a company, called Nurx, which aims to give people access to preventive medication, including birth control. Our app will be launching at the end of this summer and will slash the waiting period for seeing a doctor in person. Our app will allow a doctor to write the prescription, and the medication will be delivered to the patient within a couple of hours. Patients will also have the option for 1-1 consultations if they would like. By slashing the waiting period, we are making birth control more accessible.
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