Why Is Birth Control Important To Teenagers?

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Women often say the happiest day of their lives is the day they give birth to their child. However, women who have unintentional pregnancies and take no precautions before sexual intercourse can have their world turned upside down once they find out they're pregnant. Selling birth control over the counter or even free can keep women safe from not only unplanned pregnancies, but also many sexually transmitted diseases. If a method of birth control was given to students within schools, the number of unprepared teenagers bearing children can steadily decrease once they have the tools and knowledge to involve themselves in safe sex.
Recently, the debate concerning the availability of birth control affects more women and teenagers each day. Birth
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Taken once a day, the pill produces hormones to stop ovulation growth with the intention to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Advocates for over the counter birth control argue prescribed birth control composes the safest, most reliable results. Over the counter simply means by ordinary retail purchase, with no need for a prescription or license. Any girl, of any age can purchase the birth control at retailers such as Walgreens, Rite-Aid, and Walmart. Some debate the easier access will persuade more women to have protected sexual activity, but others argue this opportunity will form barriers to purchase the birth control. The prices may hike, since these major businesses have control over the market, and produce a separation among those who can afford the pill, and those who cannot. Easy access to the pill can lead to women purchasing an ineffective brand of the pill, which can in turn be dangerous to their bodies. However, those demanding over the counter birth control argue many younger students are having …show more content…
When the birth control is sold over the counter, one must still pay for the method, pleasing those who believe the pill must be paid for and those who believe in easier access of the birth control. The customer still pays for their contraceptive method of choice, which will not harm the market in any way, and now women no longer have to visit a doctor before starting birth control. In “Birth Control Should Be Available Over the Counter”, Amanda Marcotte has research from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which verifies “...30 percent [of women] who aren't currently on the pill would consider going on it if this option was available” (ACOG). Their foundation strongly believes women deserve the right to OTC birth control and consider following the other countries that sell their birth control OTC. Planned Parenthood would play a large role in the distribution of the pill once OTC was deemed legal. Women visiting the clinic can pick up their pill, prescription free, and learn about other options offered by Planned Parenthood. Without having to take the “...invasive tests [it] could encourage a lot of women who are currently hesitant to come in” (Marcotte pg 2). The clinics can share helpful information to the uneducated women who do not know the risk of unprotected sex. Learning the material necessary to live a safe