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Jasmine Douglas-Midkiff

Professor Johnson

English 1101

23 November 2021

Making Birth Control Accessible (especially for teens)

Would you rather have unplanned pregnancies and abortions or just help everyone out

and make birth control accessible to women especially teens? If you are a mother of a teen, I am

sure the last thing you want is your teen having sex and using birth control, but you must

understand you are not going to be able to control that. They are going to do what they want

when they want. You just must be the Parrent and let them get on birth control, so it does not

affect their future.. Birth control is not just used for sex anyways women get put on birth control

because of their periods and people just automatically assume there having sex some women just

need their periods controlled. There are so many different types of birth control to prevent these

problems. Abortion and unplanned pregnancies are so high for women right now and they mostly

are coming from the teens, without the use of birth control. And with all these unplanned

pregnancies come abortion and comes with miscarriages Women and teens need access to all

kinds of birth control because it would cut down on pregnancies which will cut down on

miscarriages, abortions, and birth control helps regulate their menstrual cycles.

The reason that teens need access to birth control is because of teen pregnancies, and

their unwanted pregnancies. Pregnancy rates were remarkably high back when birth control was

not used as common in 1957, 96.3 out of 1000 girls were pregnant, that’s about 10 percent. Then
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over the years as birth control developed increasingly the pregnancy rates dropped. Just in the

year 2019, it was as low as 16.3 out of 1000 teens pregnant from the ages 15-19. As it says in the

article over teen pregnancy, “Evidence says that these declines are due to, more teens who are

sexually active using birth control than in previous years.” With the development of birth

control, it has shown to drop pregnancy rates rapidly.

Unplanned pregnancy affects the woman's future and changes their lives. When most

teens are getting pregnant, they are still in school and with these pregnant teens their attendance

seems to drop, making them lose their education. Only 40% of teen mothers graduated from high

school. Making about 60 % of pregnant teens drop out. Teen's education is affected when they

get pregnant. According to the article over the impact of pregnant teens, “The impact of teenage

pregnancy on academic performance included poor academic performance after the pregnancy,

increase dropout because of pregnancy related issues and negative feeling on schooling.” This

makes it hard for them to find a decent job and take care of the child.

When women are not ready for kids it can be really bad, when they get an unplanned

pregnancy. They may be leaning in the direction of an abortion. That can be bad for their mental

health. I had a personal interview with someone who experienced pregnancy because birth

control was not an option for them. Most women who get pregnant when it was not planned are

not ready to have the type of responsibility that comes with the baby. A lot of unplanned

pregnancies are from people pf lower class, and a lot of times cannot afford a child. According to

the women I interviewed “the moment I realized I was pregnant; I was mad at not being able to

have access to birth control it was not an option for me. It changed my life I knew I was not

ready for a child.” if she would have had access to birth control things would have gone a lot

better.
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Teens do not need to be pregnant at their age, all it does for them is cause a lot of

problems that they do not need. Women should not have to go through all the problems, they just

need access to birth control so they can prevent this. Research has even shown that with the use

of birth control pregnancy rates have dropped, and less teens are losing their education for

pregnancy. Fewer teens are dropping because of pregnancy at an early age, and it being a lot to

handle. Giving them full access to birth control will stop a bunch of problems that are caused by

birth control. They change their whole outlook on school when they are pregnant, it seems less

important because now, they are raising a child. Not even just school, it changes women's whole

outlook on their life. It is a tremendous change.

A reason that stands out to have it accessible is when it comes to younger women is when they

have the unplanned and unwanted pregnancy that bad thing that come with it like abortion and

having a miscarriage, but they are two different things you have the option of abortion. A

miscarriage comes naturally and cannot be controlled. Miscarriages are unbelievably bad they

leave you with trauma and cause all types of uncontrolled problems. This happens a lot to

younger women they have the most cases of miscarriages without using birth control. You get a

lot of sadness and grief when you decide to go through with the pregnancy, and you have a

miscarriage. Having one of the forms of birth control would be helpful for this and preventing It.

Having miscarriages causes many types of health problems. It can leave you with trauma and

high depression. You will have exceedingly high bleeding and really heavy adnominal cramps. It

can only be treated by a doctor; it is an extremely challenging thing to go through mentally and

physically. After having a miscarriage, it sometimes can be hard to have children so later on

when you want kids, and you are ready for them it can be difficult to have them. After you have

a miscarriage, it cannot be reversed the fetus will not make it. It would make sense to make birth
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control a priority to women, just cause of the simple fact in would be hard for any women to go

through this especially younger woman.

Did you know that about 20 percent of teens who get pregnant end up with miscarriages? When

you are younger sometimes your body is not fully developed and you're not ready for a child,

this could lead to a miscarriage. There are numerous of why women and teens have miscarriages.

A lot of teens being underweight or even overweight will cause a miscarriage. Having STI

(sexually transmitted infection) can cause it within younger women. Drinking Alcohol and

lacking parental care can cause this. All these things that lead to a miscarriage could be

prevented with as little as just a pill every day or a shot every three months or even a rod in your

arm for years if birth control were just made accessible to women including making it teens

choice and having it available to them.

Miscarriages are not good at all, nothing good comes out of them. What needs to happen is

having a form of birth control or all forms available to all women. As I said many times before

with the use of birth control pregnancy is prevented by ninety-eight percent. And if you are not

getting pregnant you will not be having miscarriages. Younger teens are at remarkably high risk

for an abortion when getting pregnant at their age. Being over or under weight, not being fully

developed a lot of issues within uterus. They need access to birth control to prevent miscarriages

and to prevent all the trauma and grief that they will have to go through when they have one.

They will not have to deal with all the medical problems and all the pain that comes within a

miscarriage, so just make birth control available to them.

Another reason teens need full access to birth control because of abortion, the rates of

abortion. They are young so their scared to have a kid, or financially unstable to raise a child so
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they result to abortion with birth control this all could be prevented. As it says in this article on

why teens have abortions, “Complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth are the leading

cause of death for girls aged 15-19 globally.” This makes them have abortions because they are

scared. They are scared of the thought that they are not ready for kids. This could have been

prevented if the teen were on birth control. Abortion is hard to do, especially for women and

younger girls who sometimes feel they do not have a choice. But the thought of having health

problems or losing their life is even scarier.

Studys have also shown that with the use of birth control for teens, abortion rates dropped

as low as 62-78 percent then the normal national rate. With fewer teens getting pregnant, fewer

are resulting in abortion. According to the article over how birth control effected teens “Teens

who received free contraception were dramatically less likely to get pregnant, give birth or get an

abortion compared with other sexually active teens, according to a new study.” This cuts down

the rates of pregnancy, which also cuts down the rate of teens giving birth. Which is what we are

looking for, do we really want to have teens have abortions at an age as young as 13?

Overall birth control is a highly effective way of preventing abortion in teens from 13-19

years old. As long as teens birth control is used efficiently it will be effective and continue to cut

down on abortion rates. Abortion can cause several problems in teens like health risks for them.

It can lead to problems later in life like high blood pressure and premature babies. Women need

birth control to be accessible to them. Whether it is prescribed by a doctor or even bought over

the counter. It cut down their abortion rates and lessens health risks from abortion. Studies have

even shown that birth control has cut down abortion at remarkably high rates.
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When you hear birth control, I am sure the first thing that comes to your mind is sex, but

birth control is used for so much more than sex. when women have menstrual cycles, it can

impact the way they feel, their moods, and even cause various pains. It puts a lot of stress on

them. Periods can even cause mood swings and cause you to say or do things you usually do not.

If your on-birth control you have the option to not even have a period at all which saves you a lot

of problems according to this New York times article “The pill can also be taken continuously,

meaning a person can skip the placebo week of pills in that package so periods are less frequent”

This lowers the fact of having to deal with a period every month. Women would be able to skip

as many periods as they want.

All women experience unscheduled and lots of problems within them on their menstrual

cycle, especially teens. They do not when they are coming, they just come. Sometimes you can

even have more than one period a month. With birth control it regulates your periods, so you

know when there coming, and you have the option to even skip your period. They have terrible

cramps, some even unbearable. According to the New York times article “Birth control Is a way

to manage menstruation-related concerns. Periods will be predictable, generally are lighter, and

cramps often improve.” Giving access to birth control will keep a woman with a regulated

period, lighter and less cramping which is way better for them. They could have the option to

have a better period and less complications that come with it.

With all the problems women have with periods the least that could be given to them is

something to help manage it. Birth control is the perfect solution when it comes to anything

period related. Menstrual acycles are something that women cannot control. They cannot control

the fact they get a period, and all the mood swings and cramps that come with it. But the least

these women can do is manage and regulate it with the use of birth control. Women and even
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Teens needs access to birth control so it can help in everything when it comes to periods. Using

birth control is just less stressful and keeping them regulated and feeling better. which will then

help them even be healthier and have a better feeling.

After everything that comes within a period can a leave a women stressed out and feeling

dirty. They should have any option they want birth control needs to be accessible to them. It is

just the problem solver within anything period related. And even after everything that comes

within just having to deal with the mindfulness things that come out of periods. The terrible

mood swings, the change in your appetite. It should be no questions asked for having birth

control available for these particular reasons. With birth control it regulates your periods, so you

know when there coming, and you have the option to even skip your period. With birth control it

regulates your periods, so you know when there coming, and you have the option to even skip

your period. This is why birth control is especially important to be available to teens.

However, teens do not need to be having sex in the first place, they are too young and

need to wait till there older. Sex is something teens want to rush to experience but they should

wait till they know what they are doing. Although birth control prevents pregnancy and regulates

periods a lot of teens and even some women are irresponsible and will not take the birth control

at the time it needs to be taken birth control needs to be taken every day at the same time. Most

teenagers cannot handle this simple task. Birth control can give a lot of side effects like gaining

weight, and depression. Which can lead to bad mental health issues later which could be bad for

anyone especially younger women.

Women should also be thinking as if they are ready for a kid if there having sex

irresponsibly, you cannot always rely on birth control when it is 98 % effective. There is still a
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two percent chance, and you should already have this in mind when having sex. Most teenagers

do not think of the consequences of having sex. There can be some negative effects to birth

control as there is for any drug being used. Overall, birth control is more effective in positive

ways then negative, just because teens should not be having sex does not mean they will not be

having sex. and just because women are having sex do not mean they will think of the outcomes

and if used correctly it will prevent pregnancy and change the abortion rates that come with

unplanned pregnancy.

The is not the only one form of birth control that can be used, you have so many different

options. You have the pill which you take every day. You have the patch which you change

every week. You got the shot which you get every three months. You also have the rod which is

an implant put in your arm for years. You have so many types of birth control and there is

various of reasons why they should always be available to women and mainly teens. All these

birth controls are good, and all forms of these forms of them should be available to women and

teens. These forms of birth control will do a wonderful job of regulating periods, cutting down

on unplanned pregnancies and on abortions.

The pill is coinvent to women just because there is so many important things that come

with it. Like just imagine having the option to not have a period or have the option to not get

pregnant. The pill has numerous factors in helping any period related, pregnancy related and,

abortion related. You take the pill at the same time every day it helps you with staying on track

the birth control pill pack has the days of the week, that way you know when you missed a pill or

when you need to take two. All you have to do to not have a period is skip the brown pills which

is called the “placebo week” and your menstrual cycle will be gone will have the choice when

you have a period and when you do not.

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The patch Is good and has better benefits than the pill you do not have to worry about the

patch everyday just once a week it needs to be changed. What is different about it from the pill is

that you do not take it you put it somewhere on your body like: your arm, thigh, back, shoulder,

butt, wherever. You put it in a different place every week. For a whole week, you are having safe

sex without worrying about the bad things that come with it. And you just keep it in the same

spot for a week and do not have to worry about it. This also like all birth controls regulates your

menstrual cycle. The patch birth control should be available to all women and teens for

numerous of reasons.

Women have the option of the rod, which is a small implant put into the under part of

your forearm. This is a great form of birth control and should be accessible, because for years

this rod sits in your arm, preventing pregnancies, abortions, and regulating your mensural cycle,

and you do not have to do anything or worry about it. It stays in the same spot you do not have to

maintain to it for years. This rod is invisible to anyone looking, no one can see you, only can feel

it. It leaves you with lighter periods cramps and helps with a lot of things that come with

menstrual cycles.it gives you more red blood cells and less blood during period. The rod should

be accessible to all women even teens.

The shot is great form of birth control and needs to accessible to women because just like

every other form of birth control its helping regulate periods, keep away unwanted pregnancies,

cutting down on unplanned abortions. The shot is easy to manage, you just see the doctor once

every three months and get a shot and that is all you have to worry about. This does a wonderful

job of keeping you worry free for months and doing a lot for you. The shot can even have

months where you can go without periods, which is good to not have to worry and deal with
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them all the time. It is private and you do not have to let people even know you are on it. The

shot also has a lot of helth benefits.

All these various types of birth control are convenient and should be accessible to all

women especially younger women. When you are younger your menstrual cycles are a lot worse,

and they get better as you age (most cases). All these forms of birth control are keeping them

regulated and even giving them the option of no period. Also, in younger women they have to

worry about unplanned pregnancies and how that is going to affect them now and even way in

the future. Giving them full access to birth control is not doing anything but helping them. With

it preventing pregnancies, that is preventing abortions and miscarriages. It should fall into just

their choice of which birth control they want and if they wany to take it.

Overall, women need access to birth control, they should not have to deal with all the

problems that come without birth control like pregnancy, abortion, unregulated periods. When all

of it could be solved with just a quick pill every day. Birth control is extremely useful in so many

ways. Using birth control is just less stressful and keeping them regulated and feeling better.

Giving access to birth control will keep a woman with a regulated period, lighter and less

cramping which is way better for them. There has been a huge decline in pregnancy and

miscarriages rates. Lower abortions in women which causes less health problems overall.

Women and especially teens need access to the pill it should be their choice. Even though some

parents do not agree with their teen on birth control it should not be their choice.

In conclusion, women especially teenagers need to have access to birth control. Research

and studies have been shown how birth control is helpful is so many ways. From regulating

periods, preventing abortions and pregnancies. Giving teens full access to birth control is doing
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nothing but helping them. Stopping them from having abortions, preventing pregnancies in

general. Which is good for everyone, pregnancy at an early age is hard and it is just as hard to

have an abortion. Teens have lots of problems when it comes to their menstrual cycle, and they

should not have to deal with it. They do not even have to just have one form of birth control

there's so many diverse kinds for women that need to be available to them and all teens. To

prevent so many problems that you have if you were not using birth control. So, let us just make

birth control available to all teens and prevent pregnancy which prevents miscarriages, abortion

and regulate menstrual cycles.

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Works cited

Brooks, Makalya. Personal interview. 3 March 2022.

Brinker, Megan. Personal interview. 1 March 2022.

Hill E Sarah, “This is your brain on birth control.” Good reads, goodreads.com, accessed

1 October 2019, https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43982429-this-is-your-

brain- on-birth-control

Jane E Brody “Contraception for Teenagers” New York Times, nytimes.com, 19 February 2018,

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/19/well/live/contraception-for-teenagers.html

Larissa Hirsch, MD. “All About Birth control.” Teen's health, kidshealth.org 7 May 2018

hhttps://kidshealth.org/en/teens/contraception.html

Richard A Crosby., PHD. “Promoting teen contraceptive use by intervention with their parents.”

American journal of preventive medicine, ajpmonline.org, vol 52, 01 Mar

2017, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.027

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Sabia J Joesph, “The effect of parental involvement laws on teen birth control use.” journal of

health economics, ebscohost-com.sinclair.ohionet.org, Vol 32, Jan 2016, pp 55-62,

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.10.002

Sorio, Nina. Phone interview. 28 February 2022.

The business on birth control, Directed by: Matt Donnelley, performance by: Riki lake and

Abby Epstein, Doc Nyc, 2021. Variety. https://variety.com/2021/film/news/ricki-lake-

abby- epstein-business-of-birth-control-documentary-1235111233/

Theresa H Kim. M, “The effect of pregnancy on young teens mothers.” BMC pregnancy &

Childbirth, ebscohost-com.sinclair.ohionet.org, Vol 14, 2014 pp 1-9 Doi: 10.1186/1471-

2393- 14-162
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