The Pros And Cons Of Birth Control

The U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the world. Nearly half of the fifty states require that teens obtain parental consent for contraceptive use. Birth control has been utilized since 3000 BC; however, in 1973 congress passed a law, the Comstock Act, which prohibited the advertisement, use, or distribution of any type of contraceptive. This law was imposed upon the American public until 1960, when the first hormonal prophylactic was approved by the FDA. Nonetheless, it wasn’t until 1972 that contraceptives were sanctioned by Congress for all citizens. Since then, teen pregnancy has significantly decreased. However, the controversy still persists-- should minors have access to birth control sans parental approval? Proponents claim that allowing minors the liberty of privacy in regards to birth control would not only benefit teens, but the American economy as well; meanwhile, rivals argue it is immoral in regards to their guardians. All contraceptives-- including condoms, pills, and

teen birth rate was 61.8 births for every 1000 adolescent females…” (Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing), a substantial number in relation to the “...26.5 births for every 1000 adolescent females in 2013.” (Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing) This reduction correlates with the legalization of birth control in 1972. As teens were exposed to the novel advertisements about protection and acquired it themselves, the number of pregnancies decreased significantly. The most common contraceptive, condoms, are easily acquired, with no age limit; hence, if parental consent were enforced, teens would be less inclined to purchase them. Teenagers are mice, terrified of the parental feline, especially when it comes to talking about anything affiliated with intimacy. Many would be too afraid to ask for contraceptives, and thus not use any method of birth control, in which case the likelihood of pregnancy would increase from 2% to 85%, an enormous