Wouldn’t it be great if getting birth control were as easy as picking up a bottle of Tylenol? Well, a major medical group thinks it should be. Last week, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended that birth control should be available as an over-the-counter drug, in order to make it significantly more accessible than it currently is.
One major benefit of more accessible BC? The unintended pregnancy rate—which is now at 50 percent of all pregnancies in the US—will drop. And a lower unintended pregnancy rate can only be a good thing. Not only is reproductive control important for women’s autonomy and their ability to make the best choices for themselves, but choosing to get pregnant, rather than getting pregnant by accident, is also better for women’s health and the health of their kids.
From the ACOG statement: “Unintended pregnancy remains a major public health problem in the United States. According to the Institute of Medicine, women with unintended pregnancy are more likely to smoke or drink alcohol during pregnancy, have depression, experience domestic violence, and are less likely to obtain prenatal care or breastfeed.” In short: greater access to the Pill doesn’t just give women control over their futures—it also helps guarantee that they’ll have healthier pregnancies.
“We want to think of the idea of optimized pregnancy,” says Ashlesha Patel, MD, MPH, System Director of Family Planning Services of Cook County Healthy & Hospitals System, Chicago. And contraceptive planning and provision helps ensure that the timing, the health of the mother, and the future of the child are all ideal, she says. “It’s a very safe category of drugs that women need free access to, in order to make sure that they’re compliant and adherent.”
Unfortunately, in spite of ACOG’s recommendation, the Pill and other forms of hormonal birth control aren’t available without a prescription—yet. That said, birth control is about to become more accessible than it ever has been. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, if you already have private health insurance, you might be able to get certain brands and methods of birth control without a co-pay or deductible. Some insurance plans already offer this coverage, while others will roll this out over the next few years, according to Planned Parenthood. Not sure what your options are? Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card to get the low-down.
More from WH:
The History of Birth Control
Which Birth Control is Right for You?
What to Ask Your Gyno About Birth Control
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