Recently the debate on women’s contraceptives has become an intense issue in the media. With President Trump threatening to take them away all together, now is the time for women to fight back. The population of people who are anti-women’s-contraceptives say that they are that way for what they consider ethical reasons. Birth control is useful to women of all ages and should be made free so that the women who need it have easier access to it.

On their website Planned Parenthood states, “Birth control has had a profound and positive impact on women’s lives.” Not only does birth control prevent pregnancy, it also provides aid for a variety of medical problems. Certain types of birth control help to balance hormones in the female body which can help with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Endometriosis. Amenorrhea, Primary Ovary Insufficiency, Anemia, and Acne. A women named Channing from Kentucky told Huffington Post, “I take it [birth control] because I have polycystic ovary syndrome. I have very irregular periods, sometimes they’re very heavy and I have male-pattern facial hair growth because of that, and I take the pill for the hormones, which helps regulate that. It makes my symptoms much lighter, and it makes me not have a goatee, like a man.” Like Channing I also take birth control for a disorder. I have an extreme case of anemia which means my blood lacks iron and can run very thin, I take birth control to help make sure my blood is able to clot so I don’t lose more than I am supposed to. Planned Parenthood also expresses that, “According to a Guttmacher study, a majority of women said that birth control use had allowed them to take better care of themselves or their families (63 percent), support themselves financially (56 percent), complete their education (51 percent), or keep or get a job (50 percent).” These few things are important parts of life and not all women are able to accomplish them. Though with the help of birth control these goals are ones that can be attainable.

Birth control can be extremely expensive. According to Planned Parenthood, “A 2010 survey found that more than a third of female voters have struggled to afford prescription birth control at some point in their lives, and as a result, used birth control inconsistently.” Inconsistent use of birth control can lead to a variety of health problems including hormone imbalances and pregnancy. Kimberly Palmer from US News did her own research on birth control and found that the most effective birth controls, not including sterilization, can cost anywhere from $160 to $800 annually. She also found that the cheapest birth control is a Cervical Cap. This costs between $35 and $60 but is only 77% effective. That leaves a 23% chance of getting pregnant which a lot of women cannot afford to let happen. This particular contraceptive does not provide hormone control either, which means that women with hormone disorders are forced to pay for the more expensive birth controls. Channing from Kentucky also told Huffington Post, “Before I had insurance, it [birth control] was $130 a month for the pill, so it was a huge issue: Do I live with the symptoms and put up with it, or do I not make my rent this month and live a normal life?” Paying that much for birth control is unrealistic and can get in the way of other responsibilities, Channing witnessed this first hand. People without insurance and in need of birth control for any reason, should not have to spend so much.

There are quite a few people who believe that birth control should not be provided to women in general let alone for free. According to BBC News people are against birth control for five reasons: they believe it’s unnatural, it makes it easier for people to have sex outside of marriage, and it can be dangerous. I’d like to address the last argument by stating the risks of birth control. In Young Women’s Health they say that birth control may cause spotting, nausea, weight gain, break outs, headaches, and blood clots. However Young Women’s Health also states that, “Side effects usually go away in the first three to four cycles.” Aside from clotting, birth control has no major risks to be concerned about, invalidating the last argument. I would also like to acknowledge that failure to provide birth control to women is considered sex discrimination which can get the government into some nasty law suits.

All in all, birth control is making its way into the lives of women everywhere. Birth control is helpful to women all over and its pros outweigh its cons by far. Women have more to worry about in life than how they are going to treat their disorders or how they are going to provide for a child. We need to help these women so that they can continue to focus on the important things.