Imagine a world where simple and accessible birth control is taken away. Well, this is a very real possibility that would put many women in America at risk of unwanted pregnancies. Many people also use birth control to regulate periods, pre-menopause, and migraines to make those situations more manageable. With the recent controversy over abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, many people are wondering if access to birth control will be next.
In 2023, a law was proposed to criminalize Plan B, but it ended up never passing. In light of Donald J. Trump’s new presidency, many people are concerned that access to Plan B may be threatened again.
Plan B is a safe and accessible emergency contraception for all citizens of America and therefore should not be banned. If it were to be banned, it would threaten the 14th Amendment, the right to privacy and reproductive autonomy, which gives American women the constitutional right to access birth control.
Criminalizing Plan B would be taking away a safe and effective form of birth control. According to Medical News Today, Plan B effectively prevents pregnancy up to 87% if a person takes it within 72 hours of intercourse. In addition, side effects of Plan B are rare and minor, if there are any at all. Minor headaches or a slight change in a woman’s menstrual cycle are the most common side-effects. Access to birth control also ensures that babies aren’t conceived into a family that is not equipped to raise them.
Banning birth control is a threat to constitutional rights. In the 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut Supreme Court case, it is stated that the right to privacy includes the right to contraception for married couples, and it was later extended to unmarried couples. This would mean any law banning birth control would violate the Supreme Court case and deny the rights of every couple in America. With the recent concern over women’s rights being taken away, the threat of overturning Griswold v. Connecticut stands as a threat to female citizens of America.
Plan B is an over-the-counter medication which cost around $50, making it more accessible to everyone. It is much easier to acquire than other birth control methods such as IUDs or prescribed pills, which could cost over $1000 and require involvement of a medical professional. For many women, Plan B has prevented unwanted pregnancies with just a simple purchase at the store. Taking Plan B away would make birth control much less accessible for many American women.
Some Americans don’t like the idea of birth control because they believe that it is an abortifacient. This is simply not true, and is a common form of misinformation. Birth control doesn’t end a pregnancy, but rather prevents pregnancy, by blocking fertilization or an egg implanting. In the case of Plan B, it disrupts ovulation to prevent a pregnancy.
Plan B should be continued to be sold all over America and remain accessible to all couples. With abortion rights being threatened throughout the United States, having access to a safe form of birth control is a right that we all have, and it is unfair to threaten that.
Taking away Plan B is wrong and is removing a form of birth control that is attainable for most Americans. Citizens across America should not have to be concerned about whether they will or will not have the right to access birth control in the future. Access to birth control is a right, and it should stay that way.
