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Briana Medlin

English 112

Aristotelian Argument Essay

21 February 2017

Over-the-Counter Birth Control: Effective or Harmful?

Imagine picking up birth control at a local pharmacy or even grocery store when

needed, without worrying about a prescription or taking time out of the day to go to a

gynecologist. This sounds like the perfect convenience, right? When it comes to the topic

of contraceptives, many pro-choicers will readily agree that a womans comfort serves as

top priority. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the hot topic question

of, Is birth control safe and effective enough for over-the-counter sales? Whereas

naysayers are convinced that this idea contains many errors needing an improvement, it

is crucial to understand the benefits and convenient choices given to women.

It has become common today to dismiss this controversial topic of

contraceptives, such as birth control, especially when the question of women continuing

to visit their gynecologists strikes conversations. Critics believe that in order to retrieve

birth control or a prescription for contraceptives, many women will have to visit their

doctors first and fear that women will become less compliant. Amanda Marcotte agrees

when she writes, ... Doctors have a uniquely difficult time in this country encouraging

women to go to the doctor regularly. [They] need to use the pill as bait to make sure

women are going to their doctoror to a local Planned Parenthoodto get their

checkups (Marcotte). It is shown by research that, in America, doctors may overuse the

Pelvic exam and Pap Test and, instead, use the pill or other forms of birth control in

order to perform these tests during the appointment. Although, there is no real reason
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to believe that women will end receiving medical care because birth control could be

over the counter. A 2004 survey of women in the United States showed that a stunning

88% of women not using birth control in the last two years still received a pap test. This

indicates that even if women are not seeking birth control they will still receive the

recommended preventive care from their gynecologist (Howard). This key statistic

interprets that gynecology visits are not for women to only receive contraceptives, but to

receive health and preventative care together while continuing to keep in contact with

their doctors.

Not only is the question of continuing doctors visits a major play in his

controversial topic, but the topic of cost maintains popularity. Many naysayers snicker

to the idea of over-the-counter birth control because women would have to pay for their

own contraceptives. Casey Gueren states, ...the current Affordable Care Act birth

control benefit allows women to receive any FDA-approved contraceptive method

without a co-pay, as long as they have a prescription. What many politicians support is a

system where birth control comes out onto the store shelves to be more convenient, but

it likely wouldn't be covered at no cost (Gueren). In other words, Casey Gueren

corroborates that, currently, under former President Obamas Affordable Care Act,

insured women do not have to pay a copay for their birth control. However, with the

proposal of over-the-counter birth control, chances are that women, insured or not,

would still need to pay. Although, Gueren overlooks what I consider an important point

that under the new president, Donald Trump, Obamas Affordable Care Act will be

subject to repealment; therefore, making birth control an expense whether women have

insurance or do not. Although some believe that this would only cause an increase in

unwanted or unintended pregnancies, ... as ThinkProgress reports, nearly two-thirds of

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American women say they still want the pill sold OTC, and about 30% who aren't

currently on the pill would consider going on it if this option was available (Marcotte).

This validates the idea that over-the-counter birth control and it's true convenience is

what women actually want, even if there is a costly addition.

On the account of safety and effectiveness, birth control remains an important

concept and its main function prevents unwanted pregnancies. Many pro-lifers believe it

is wrong that, in order to have the birth control effective: women will have a choice in

which method best suits them, varying from the pill, patch, or the ring, and if they fit as

an appropriate candidate for the contraceptive (Gueren). Vanessa Cullins,MD, explained

that no one birth control method tends to serve one woman throughout her life, much

less millions who want it over-the-counter. Though, on the contrary, this gives women a

chance to choose which brand or dose she needs, to understand the side effects and

what other medications may interfere with birth control without a doctor trying to

persuade her into a specific method. In short, women will truly have a choice in what

birth control method they would like to take and must understand the criteria, such as

side effects and risk factors, when making her decision.

For this controversial topic in todays society, one may not be able to walk down

an aisle in the local pharmacy or grocery store and choose her own birth control,

although over-the-counter birth control has a specific role, which is to prevent

pregnancy, and for that reason, women should have a choice. This uprising fear that

women will not take care of their bodies or understand what they put into their bodies

must end, it is simply a womens choice.

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Works Cited

Greenwald, Morgan. "Over-the-Counter Birth Control Would Pose Risks." Daily

Trojan (4 Dec. 2012). Rpt. in Women's Health. Ed. Lynn M. Zott. Farmington

Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints

in Context. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

Gueren, Casey. "Should Birth Control Be Over the Counter?" Women's Health (31

Oct. 2014). Rpt. in Birth Control. Ed. Jack Lasky. Farmington Hills, MI:
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Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.

Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Howard, David L., Jeffrey Wall, and Julie L. Strickland. "Physician Attitudes

Toward Over The Counter Availability For Oral Contraceptives." Maternal &

Child Health Journal 17.10 (2013): 1737-1743. Academic Search Complete. Web.

20 Feb. 2017.

Marcotte, Amanda. "Birth Control Should Be Available Over the Counter." Birth

Control. Ed. Jack Lasky. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2016.

Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Time to Demand All Birth Control Pills Be Sold

Over-the-Counter." 5 May 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Feb.

2017.