Today’s Society in the World of Birth Control

Emily Sanchez, Managing Editor|March 24, 2023

Birth Control-Free of Charge/Creative Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

Birth control can come in all shapes and sizes, what a person sees is a blue pill, but what they see is more than just a pill. Birth control comes with many side effects and different kinds of changes that happens to a woman’s body.

Since 2021’s eventful year of mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccine, people hoped for a less eventful 2022 as the ball dropped on a new year.

“The giant 2022 stands seven feet tall, and we’ve got fifty more seconds left in this year until we turn the page,” host Ryan Seacrest said. “Grab someone you love. Grab someone you know as we get ready to celebrate here in Times Square. You can hear it now. People are ready for 2022. Three, two, one: Happy New Year!”

However, the overturn of Roe V. Wade in Aug. 2022 has left many people in fear of birth control being taken away. Things such as Plan B, birth control, and abortion have been threatened to be taken away due to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning this law.

“Personally for me, I was scared that it got overturned,” sophomore Jennifer Anaya-Serrano said. “It’s my body, and it’s my right. Society already thinks that women want babies by default like it’s a job. That is something I never wanted and have no maternal desire to do. It’s just something so women can be controlled.”

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It’s my body, and it’s my right.

— sophomore Jennifer Anaya-Serrano

Starting in Aug. 2022, laws were passed regarding birth control and abortion. These laws were being passed across the United States and eventually ended up passing in Indiana. The Indiana law stated that abortion would be illegal with an exception if a pregnant person’s life is at risk. Birth control also being part of the law led to some doctors being unable to prescribe birth control, including IUDs that could interfere with the implantation process.

“I think that was a terrible thing to ban birth control everywhere,” junior Xander Wilson said. “I think that a majority of people voting for these laws are men who don’t have a need for birth control, and some just don’t understand the separation of church and state, especially in regards to laws affecting peoples’ bodies.”

Birth control, also known as contraception, was first introduced in May 1950 and has been used as a form of medicine and surgery to prevent pregnancy. According to Healthaffairs.org, contraception is one of the world’s most widely used medical goods, used by 95% of women. In today’s society, it is easily accessible to obtain birth control from places such as Planned Parenthood, online retailers, and even doctors. Birth control is seen as a safety measure for many, but it can be the opposite for others.

“Birth control is still very accessible,” Logansport’s Woman’s Health Center manager Leslie Grigsby said. “Recently, with the overturn of Roe V. Wade, I think a lot of women thought that they weren’t going to have access to birth control, and that is just not the case. It is still very accessible through a doctor.”

Birth control can often be seen as a bad thing in some parents’ eyes. It can be a very heavy topic for some, but many people agree.

“Yes, I am for it,” parent Rafael Sanchez, Jr. said. “We are very overpopulated, so it controls unwanted kids. The best birth control is abstinence. If you don’t practice it, you’re in a world full of trouble. Everything is so expensive, and it’s difficult. You have to be responsible.”

Many students have a very different opinion on this topic, drastically different than parents.

“I am a firm believer in young women and women overall being able to use birth control if they would like to,” senior Isabella Padilla said. “There are several reasons why a woman might choose to do so. Either way, she does not need to explain it to anyone other than her doctor. I have been using birth control for a few years now, and I can speak from experience when I say, women don’t care or want your opinions.

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I have been using birth control for a few years now, and I can speak from experience when I say, women don’t care or want your opinions.

— senior Isabella Padilla

Religion also takes part in the world of birth control. At times, taking birth control can determine how families view the use of it.

“Too many times parents or guardians attempt to push their own beliefs on children resulting in later rebellion,” Padilla said. “It is a woman’s right to choose to use or not to use birth control. It’s just medication. Our society is still stuck on a purity culture stemming from religion. In tons of cases though, women can still be religious and use birth control.”

Birth control isn’t just for preventing pregnancy, it can also be used for different medical conditions such as irregular periods, PCOS, endometriosis, and acne.

“In my case, I have endometriosis,” junior Alexis Enyeart said. “Before going on birth control, I was constantly on my period and simply functioning on a regular basis was an issue. I couldn’t even get up most days before going on it. It’s helped a lot with pain and to regulate my periods.”

The big question that people may ask is “When is the right time for a woman to get on birth control?” This question may have different answers depending on the circumstances.

“When someone is sexually active, and they do not want a pregnancy, whether it be that they are a teenager or someone who is in a new relationship, that is the right time,” Grigsby said. “If a patient is having other issues, and their doctor thinks birth control can help level out their hormones, that’s a good time also.”

If someone is curious about getting prescribed birth control, it can be an easy process.

“A woman can get birth control at an OBGYN provider or a primary care provider,” Grigsby said. “Some states still have facilities where women can go for exams and birth control for free or at a reduced cost to them. If a woman is interested in birth control, she should make an appointment with her doctor to discuss what options are best for her.”