Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill and Birth Control Essay

Submitted By justinelford
Words: 917
Pages: 4
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Justine Ford Comp 1
Steve Marlowe
December 5, 2012
OBGYNS: Birth control pills should be sold over the counter. Should be birth control be sold over the counter, or should you be required to have a prescription? Lauren Neergaard, wrote an essay on how OBGYNS think it’s a good idea to make Birth control over the counter. She states others opinions and their comments on if it’s a good idea or not. The popular vote in this essay was, that it should be sold over the counter. Many people may agree with that, but there are some people like me, who do not agree with this. The main argument in this essay is, OBGYNS and the peoples thought on if it is safe to sell birth control over the counter or not. In the essay it states, “No prescription or doctor’s exam needed: The nation’s largest group of obstetricians and gynecologists says birth control pills should be sold over the counter, like condoms.” (Neergaard, Lauren). With that being said, there are many health risks being on birth control for it to just be sold over the counter. Natasha Singer wrote an essay in, The New York Times talking about some of the health issues of birth control. One of the most popular birth control, Yaz, has some side effects affiliated to it, as do all birth control. Natasha stated, “But recently, the Yaz line’s image has been clouded by concerns from some researchers, health advocates and plaintiffs’ lawyers. They say that the drugs put women at higher risk for blood clots, strokes and other health problems than some other birth control pills do.” (Singer, Natasha). Now does that sound like something that should just be sold over the counter? There are many arguments over this specific topic. CNN for example, Jacque Wilson, also did a report on this disagreeing. “As with any drug, there are risks associated with oral contraceptives. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists acknowledges that the pill can increase a patient's risk of blood clots and stroke, especially if she is obese or smokes.” (Wilson, Jacque). So what if these women who are obese or smoke try to get over the counter birth control? Without knowing the side effects? There is always a chance for the side effects to happen or else they wouldn’t post them. Which is why a prescription and a gynecologist visit should be needed to be on birth control. If birth control ever gets sold over the counter, they are going to have to do many tests to see if it’s really the safest thing to do. For example, “In order to make it ok, the company needs to have research on its birth control product's safety as an over-the-counter medication. These studies would have to prove to the FDA that the right people will choose to take the medication -- meaning otherwise healthy women who want to avoid pregnancy -- rather than the people who shouldn't purchase it -- meaning those at high risk of blood clots or stroke.” (Wilson, Jacque). Now what about the people who are for it? Why do they think it’s okay to sell birth control over the counter? “ACOG calls the rate of unintentional pregnancies, currently at about 50%, "unacceptably high" and believes easier access to oral contraceptives may reduce this number.” (Lafferty Jennifer). Coming from a disagreeing perspective, there are many other ways to decrease the rate of unplanned pregnancies other than oral birth control. They make condoms for men and women. If you do not want to become pregnant the only 100% guaranteed way to
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