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Argumentative Essay On Birth Control

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Birth control is currently only available through prescription and some Americans want to change that, but that may not be in the best interest of the majority. There are flaws to both sides of the argument, keeping birth control prescription only and having it become over the counter. However, keeping this contraceptive off the shelves for anyone to purchase seems like the more logical response to this phenomenon. Oral contraceptives have provided the world with great outcomes. Planned parenthood stated that birth control has “advanced women’s educational opportunities, led to more college-educated women pursuing advanced professional degrees, enhanced children’s well being in the long run, saved women money, reduced teen pregnancy, and reduced unwanted pregnancy” (“Birth Control” 1-3). The argument that birth control has done great things for society is obvious. Carl Djerassi was a chemist in Mexico city that created the first pill that synthesized hormones in 1951. In 1957 the FDA approved the pills for women with menstrual disorders but just three years later the pill was released for sexual protection. Some states still made this drug illegal and it went against many people’s morals. In 1997 the pill was expanded to treat acne (A Brief History 1-2). The pill has come a long way and is still continuing to form in this evolving society. Less than seventy years ago we didn’t even have an oral option for birth control. Today we are fighting over whether the pill can be available over the counter or not. The current fight for keeping oral contraceptives as a prescription drug is due to all of the negatives that over the counter oral contraceptives would pose. The debate is not arguing that birth control pills are bad or should be harder to get to but rather the fact that if they were easier to get to that the negatives would outweigh the positive. The current monthly fee for prescribed oral birth control with insurance coverage is anywhere from $0-$50 a month. This ends up equaling, at max $600 annually (“How much”). That fee is with insurance coverage, if the oral drug becomes over the counter insurance would no longer cover the fees. With the current rates if insurance didn’t cover the pill price the

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