Birth control, a contraceptive, is used for various reasons such as preventing pregnancy and hormone therapy, which can ease hormonal symptoms women experience such as cramps, mental disorders, acne, treatment for cancers and overall benefit to women’s health. Recently, the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, which ultimately sent a women’s right to an abortion back to each state to determine the availability of birth control. In total, eight states have enforced restrictions in contraceptives including birth control. Most require parental consent for teens to be able to purchase and use birth control. Many states, such as Oklahoma, plan on pushing birth control more and more out of reach. Recently, however, parental consent has been the only form of restriction.
OBGYNs and medical professionals can prescribe birth control to control hormone imbalances and safely prevent the risk of unwanted pregnancies. Two Texas licensed OBGYNs, who have asked to remain anonymous, due to the political climate around the subject matter, explained the uses of birth control and to whom they would typically prescribe it.
“Talking to and counseling patients based on their needs and use of birth control is so important,” the OBGYN said. “This means finding what patients want from birth control in terms of their lifestyles and routines, health benefits, and most commonly prevention from pregnancy.”
Based on her experience with her patients, the OBGYN said that she feels that the new restrictions are unnecessary and disregard women’s autonomy.
“My patients come in with many concerns regarding their physical and mental health, and most treatments used are a form of birth control,” the OBGYN said. “I truly believe that women have every right to receive and use prescribed contraceptives from pharmacies especially when some women have it harder to get easy access to birth control.”
The OBGYN explains that if states mandate stricter restrictions on birth control there will have to be other options for women needing birth control as a hormone balancer.
“Honestly, this is a difficult time for women’s reproductive rights and autonomy,” the OBGYN said. “There are ways to balance hormones including eating nutritious meals that can positively impact mood changes, taking antidepressants for mental disorders, supplements like vitamins, visiting a dermatologist for other forms of acne treatments, sleep, exercise and finding stress-reducing routines.”
The restrictions on birth control affects a majority of minors. Many teenagers use birth control for reasons other than preventing pregnancy. Whether it’s a sudden spike in acne, chronic headaches and cramps because of menstrual cycles, hair benefits, helping ease muscle cramps, or painful and irregular periods, birth control can treat a variety of health issues that improve the everyday lives and the well being of teenagers that use it.
Several McCallum students who used birth control daily for a variety of different reasons were willing to share their perspectives; however, they wanted to remain anonymous to protect their privacy.
One common response and connections was the use of birth control to treat acne and prevent hormonal breakouts on the skin.
“I started birth control because my dermatologist suggested it due to my hormonal acne,” one McCallum student said. “It’s a low dose, but it still helps with any sudden breakouts, and I have seen a huge improvement in my skin and no longer have to worry about the inflammation.”
While many teenagers’ acne improved and cleared, some students had different results and actually regretted starting hormone therapy.
“I honestly think that the first months of taking it made my skin worse and caused breakouts I’ve never had before,” another student said. “I also have a friend who felt she gained weight after taking it, so she had to slowly come off the pill.”
While birth control has its benefits there can be negative side effects depending on each individual’s genetics, hormones, and overall menstrual cycle.
Students said that they use birth control to treat mental disorders, acne, pain surrounding periods and helping maintain a balanced cycle.
