Many options, opinions on birth control


Birth control options are not a definite decision, and it has
become a fierce political issue, especially with the possible
advent of a change to abortion laws.

There are a wide range of
methods for birth control: patches, skin implants, progestin-only
pills, combined hormone pills, IUDs, diaphragms, condoms, sponges,
spermicides, fertility awareness-based methods, abstinence and,
abortion.
The first success concerning
Birth control pills was in 1839- Charles
Goodyear started the mass production of condoms and in 1960 the
first oral contraceptive, Envoid, was given the approval of the
FDA. The opinions about the effectiveness of these methods are
varied.
In the beginning also the laws were restrictive.

In 1873 the
Comstock Law was enacted. The use of contraceptives was considered
to be a crime, and the distribution of them was treated as federal
offense. The 1963 case Griswold v. Connecticut restricted the
authority of society over the individual, supporting the idea that
privacy was constitutionally protected and paved the way for Roe v.


Wade.
"Birth control today is the result of Margaret Sanger," said
Sally Kitch, a professor in the women's studies department. "She
was imprisoned for her activities and had to escape to Europe to
continue her activities. Sanger founded Planned Parenthood sometime
in the 1940s.

"
In the OSU area, there are only two places to get
Birth control pills and
information about Birth control
possibilities and
sexual health; the Wilce Student
Health Services and Planned
Parenthood situated at 18 E. 17th Ave. The Pregnancy Decision
Health Center at 6 E. 17th Ave.

provides information for
abortion alternatives and financial help for pregnant women.
None of these institutions can perform abortions but Wilce and
Planned Parenthood can provide information on the possibilities
for abortions to be done.
According to Dr. Roger Miller, assistant director for Wilce
Student Health Services, the Wilce concentrates on offering
complete medical services and provides almost the same range of
services for family planning and Birth control as Planned
Parenthood.

Services range from prescribing Birth control options
from "The Pill" and the patch to emergency contraception; they
offer pregnancy tests as well and advise pregnant women on other
options. Both Planned Parenthood and Pregnancy Decision feel
political consequences for both sides are heating up.
Lisa Perks, executive director for Planned Parenthood, told us
that having no access to Birth control pills is one of the greatest
causes of unwanted pregnancy.
"It's not just the pharmacists, but some hospitals denying the
morning after pill and you have to follow the drug perscriber's
rules," she claimed.

"This is time sensitive, so if you are moved
from pharmacy to pharmacy to get medication, the
time efficacy comes into play."
"We don't have a stance on Birth control itself," said Jeffrey
Silleck, executive director for Pregnancy Decision Health Center.
"The thing with the morning after pill is it causes termination of
a seven or eight-hour fertilized egg. If
life is determined at
conception, then the morning after pill is a very early form of
abortion.

"
OSU student-Mary Teegarden, said she favors the pro-life point
of view and agrees with Silleck that there's not a problem with
reasonable Birth control use, but the morning after pill differs
from regular Birth control contraceptives. Lauryn Shipp, a senior
in English and supporter of pro-choice issues, said she disagrees
and cited an article in Prevention Magazine in which a pro-life
OB/GYN claims it is not a scientific fact that the morning after
pill leads to abortions.
"We're concerned about the future of choice in America," she
said. " We live in a very hostile time right now, with our right to
emergency contraception being attacked, our right to Birth control
and attacking our right to sex education.

"
Paul Douglas
This article was reprinted from
PharmacyCenter.org health blog.

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