Controlling birth or women? Accessing birth control is harder than you think

Written by Mara Anselm, graphic by Lauren Rose

Since the dawn of time, people have been horny. It’s how we’ve survived as a species this long. Unwanted pregnancy, though, has never been convenient, not when you’re a medieval peasant woman or a woman in the 21st century trying to make it through college. Luckily for us, birth control has evolved far past weird and potentially life-threatening mixtures of herbs and spices. There is still one huge issue, though: accessibility. It’s hard to find recent studies, but in 2001, 49% of pregnancies were unintended, or accidental. In today’s United States, where there is very little access to safe abortions, that means that many women are forced to resort to dangerous at-home abortions or give birth to a baby they never wanted. One thing could fix this problem: more easily accessible birth control.

The researchers from the 2001 study, Finer and Henshaw, wrote that “one in 20 American women has an unintended pregnancy each year, and the burden falls even more heavily on some groups: women aged 18-24, low-income women, cohabitating women and minority women.” I’d imagine that a lot of us can relate to those criteria; many of us are broke college students. And in Springfield, where the closest abortion provider (as of right now) is 160 miles away, birth control is a vital need. As important as effective contraception is, it’s not easy to get. Walmart sells condoms and Plan B, but they’re locked up. It’s an awkward situation asking the Walmart employee to get a box of condoms down and that could deter someone from practicing safe sex. Missouri State University offers free condoms, but in my personal experiences, they have broken way too often. Without a doubt, this leads to an increased risk of STIs and pregnancy. 

Oral contraceptives, AKA the pill, are also a common option, but they’re impossible to get without a prescription. And without insurance, this could cost anywhere from $20-$50 per month. In the grand scheme of things, $600 a year is a lot less expensive than a baby, but still not viable for many women. I’m lucky enough to have good health insurance so I’ve been on the pill since I was 16. Three years later, I’m only now hearing about other options. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) like the IUD or arm implant are becoming more and more popular but still aren’t very well-known.

There are many different options when it comes to safe, effective birth control, but many women don’t have access to it, either because of stigmas or lack of affordability. Access to birth control is important for people’s well-being, both mental and physical. Unprotected sex poses multiple health risks, including STIs and pregnancy. On top of that, an unplanned pregnancy can majorly derail someone’s life, forcing them to drop out of school or take time off from their job. A baby is a huge time and money commitment, and by avoiding that, more women can work and make it through school. They don’t have to take time off to get an abortion or have a baby and can live their lives the way they want to. By increasing access to birth control, we give women control over their reproduction and as a result, more control over their lives.