Essay On Birth Control Should Not Be Over-The-Counter

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Birth Control Should Not be Over-the-Counter One of the most common ways to protect women from getting pregnant is taking an oral contraceptive, which is also known as birth control. In 1957 the FDA approved the pill, but only for severe menstrual disorders. In 1960 the pill was approved for contraceptive use. Since then, women have been using the pill as a way to reduce the risk of getting pregnant. The most common way to take birth control is to go to the doctor and get prescribed to it. Although over-the-counter birth control could help reduce the rate of abortions, it should not be over-the-counter because of the numerous health risks that would not be known to the women who are ordering the pills. William Saletan shares his views on over-the-counter birth control in his article “Birth Control Results in Fewer Abortions”. He contends that medical technology has led to such improvements in contraception that fewer abortions are being performed. “Contraceptive use rose 11% from 1982 to 2002 and during this period the abortion rate dropped by about 30%” (Saletan, paragraph 15). Another viewpoint is that if birth control was over-the-counter, women would not have to pay those pesky doctor bills just to discuss which type of birth control would suit them the best. …show more content…

Morgan Greenwald in her article, ¨Over-the-Counter Birth Control Would Pose Risks” speaks about how women wouldn´t have to see their doctor to get prescribed to the pill if it was over-the-counter. This would pose risks for women who are taking other medications. As stated in the article, “If a woman is taking rifampin and birth control at the same time, the contraceptive loses its ability to prevent pregnancies, and it’s recommended by doctors to use a second type of birth control when prescribed rifampin” (Greenwald, paragraph