Should Birth Control Be Sold Over The Counter Essay

Controversy of Birth Control Being Sold Over-The-Counter

Birth control is a contraceptive used to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Birth control comes in many forms; typically as a pill but there are other alternatives such as: a monthly shot, a ring, IUDs and many more. In America, there are people who question whether or not birth control should be sold over the counter. Although this is a controversy in the United States, it is common practice in other countries around the world. There are over 100 countries where women have access to birth control pills over the counter. Many Americans believe birth control should be sold over the counter while others disagree with it.

Pam Belluck a health science writer for The New York Times says that “Almost two-thirds of 2,000 women surveyed by the sexual health nonprofit Ibis Reproductive Health say they'd support over-the-counter birth control” (Belluck) If birth control pills were sold over the counter, teens and adults would be more willing to buy contraceptives. 73% of teens would be onboard with contraceptives sold over the counter. (Belluck) Health care providers say women do not need a prescription for birth control, that a brief

Allowing women to purchase over the counter contraceptives would save money for the women buying the pills as well as the state. Reproductive health researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have put together a statistical model that represents over the counter birth control being sold for little to no cost for the women. (Belluck) “In the scenario, an additional 11 to 21 percent of low income women would start using the pill, resulting in an estimated seven to 25 percent decrease in unintended pregnancies” (Belluck). With a decrease in unintended pregnancies money would be saved for the public health plans because they would be paying less for pregnancy and birth