More birth control controls more birth

It seems so obvious, women who have access to birth control don’t get pregnant. Of course the story is a little more than that. Studies show that when women are given a one year supply of birth control, in this case birth control pills, incidences of pregnancy drop 30% and there is a drop in the odds of abortion by 46%. Currently, most birth control prescriptions are for one to three months only.

“Women need to have contraceptives on hand so that their use is as automatic as using safety deices in cars,” said Diana Greene Foster, PhD, lead author and associate professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. “Providing one cycle of oral contraceptives at a time is similar t asking people to visit a clinic or pharmacy to renew their seatbelts each month.” Her findings appear in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Oral contraceptives like birth control pills, are the most commonly used method of reversible contraception in the US. While very effective when used properly and regularly, about half of women who take them miss a day during the cycle and this greatly increases pregnancy chances. A lot of times these misses occurs when one pack ends.

”The evidence indicates that health plans and public health programs may avoid paying for costly unintended pregnancies by increasing dispensing limit on oral contraceptives,” said Foster.

Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology, ScienceDaily