Birth control leads to fewer abortions

The ACA Medical Expansion expanded coverage to nearly all adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($17,774 for an individual in 2021). Twelve states have not expanded Medicaid leaving 2 million people without this provision. Health insurers can deny covering new contraceptive methods because a single page on the FDA's website fails to include the new products the agency has approved. One of the provisions in the ACA requires insurance companies to cover birth control. Updating the Birth control Guide would stop health plans from denying coverage for individuals unique health needs.

Birth Control has a history over 60 years proven to be safe and effective.

The most effective currently requires a prescription and with many family planning clinics closing leaving low-income and rural communities and people of color at greatest risk for unintended pregnancies.

Dr. Linda Rosenstock, an emeritus professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles said "In the United States each year, about half of pregnancies are unintended and about 40 percent of these lead to abortions. Access to birth control leads to fewer abortions."

In the US we still have higher, than many developed countries, deaths due to complications of pregnancy. Even healthy individuals are still at risk of diabetes, hemorrhage, preterm birth, blood clots, serious depression and more. Women in an abusive relationship without access to abortion will most often stay in that relationship putting herself and her child at risk according to " The Turnaway Study" which studied the effects of women receiving vs denied a wanted abortion.

As the Supreme Court acts to overturn Roe v Wade many states have trigger laws in place that will go into effect immediately. No, this will not end abortions the wealthy will still have access to an abortion.

My belief was the intent of Roe was to make abortions safe and it has. In the United States the lack of paid family leave, rising child care costs and the growing wealth gap will only leave more children at risk. It is none of my business why someone has an abortion.

Julie Wolf, Algona