In this week's New York Times, an opinion article argues, "Women don't need a doctor to tell them if they need cold medicine or condoms, and they shouldn't need a doctor's permission to take the pill." Is that true?
Why can’t you buy the birth control pill without seeing a doctor?
Right now, you can get the pill if you can get a prescription for it from your health care provider. Some see getting birth control like the pill, to be difficult if you don’t have easy access to a doctor. There are other methods that are available without prescription — condoms, spermicide and the sponge (all of which have higher failure rates than the pill).
Doctors argue that they need to make sure there aren’t any health risks. The writer argues, “Women already have to tell their doctor about their health problems when they get a prescription, and research shows that women can screen themselves for contraindications (factors that increase the risks involved in using a particular birth control method)almost as well as providers do.”
The pill is actually available over the counter in other countries like Kuwait and Mexico. In fact, some American women have been known to cross the U.S.-Mexican border to obtain it without a prescription.
If the pill were over the counter, would it help prevent teen pregnancies? The United States does have one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the developed world. The writer states “better access to the pill is part of the solution to this problem.”
One point that the writer fails to mention is the importance of pap smears and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. The pill does not protect against STIs, and is not a catchall for “safe sex”.
Some women who aren’t sexual active use the pill to alleviate PMS, some to get regular cycles, for cramps, or for a combination of reasons. No matter what, using the pill is a medical decision--one that carries with it risks and side effects, just like everything else that you put into your body.
Ultimately, the decision is always YOURS. Using a condom seems like less of a commitment than taking daily medication and should be appreciated and respected if it's the decision you make. Hormonal birth control is like any other reproductive choice: it should be an informed, confidential, and safe choice.
Whether you agree or disagree with the pill being sold over-the-counter, there needs to be more patient empowerment and education about reproductive choice and control.
People need better access to birth control. And most of all we need a fair price. With insurance my pill is $50 a month, and buying Plan B at the pharmacy can cost about the same!
If the United States is committed to addressing the challenges of unintended pregnancy, then healthcare must include freer access to contraception for all women at low or no cost.
These are all valid questions, and the hope is that you will ponder them for yourself and share this conversation with your friends and family.
This post was written by Guest Blogger Crystal Guerrero. Born in raised in Orange County, CA, Crystal Guerrero has always been an advocate, and passionate about social justice and human rights. As a first generation college graduate from Cal State Fullerton, Crystal spent a lot of time working in family planning health clinics, on the campaign trail for political elections, at after school programs at junior high schools, and spent time in San Francisco working in the areas of Domestic Violence, and criminal justice. Now in Los Angeles,