Birth Control Pill [Scene 1: The Good]

The invention of the birth control pill has given women vast freedom to plan their own families and protect themselves from unintended pregnancy.  I think the pill should be available to everyone that wants and needs it for no charge.  It’s great preventative care and in the long run saves tons of money, by limiting unwanted children and welfare expenses.

Here is a brief history {A.}:

1550 BC in Egypt–women were given  recipe using common food items and wool to avoid conception.

1873–after some experimentation with very primative versions of cervical caps, condoms, and douches, the puritanical U.S. becomes the only western country to demonize birth control.  It is considered obscene and criminalized.

1916 in Brooklyn–Margaret Sanger opens America’s first family-planning clinic.  It closes in 10 days.

1920–Sanger tries again, this time more successfully, and opens what would become Planned Parenthood.

1938–A judge lifts the ban on birth control.  Still, it remains outlawed in most states.

1951 in Mexico City–A progesterone pill is created by Carl Djerassi.

1960–the FDA approves a birth control pill!

1965–By this year, 6.5 million women are on THE pill.

1970–There are concerns about BCP’s safety prompting senate hearings.

1980–By this year, 10.5 million women are taking the BCP.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1983970,00.html#ixzz1gTK53shX

Rates of unintended pregnancy among women of child-bearing age (15-40 in this data set).  Teens aged 15-19 from 1981 to 2002, and women aged 20-24 and aged 25-29.  {B.}

____All Women__Teens (15-19)__Women aged 20-24__ Women aged 25-29
1981____54.2_______78.1_________ 93.6____________ 60.6__
1987___ 53.5_______ 79.3_________ 102.7___________ 66.1__
1994___ 51________ 82__________ 105_____________ 66___
2002___ 51________ 67__________ 104_____________ 71___

As you can see, unintended teen pregnancy was the only age set to decrease their rates from 1981 to 2002.  Women in their 20s and 30s remained relatively stable or increased slightly.

And who can argue with those benefits?

References:

 {A.}  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1983970,00.html{B.}  http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/national-data/pdf/Unplanned-pregnancy-rates-by-age.pdf