14 Real-Life Reasons It Can Be Hard to Get Birth Control
There are 61 million U.S. women of reproductive age, and about 70% of them are at risk of unintended pregnancy — meaning, they have sex and don’t want to get pregnant right now. To have two children (which is the average family size couples desire in the United States), a woman must use contraceptives for about 30 years.1
Since so many women need to use birth control for so many years, why isn’t it easier to access? At Nurx it’s our mission to make birth control convenient, private, and affordable, which we achieve by prescribing online and delivering to patients’ doorsteps in discreet packaging, at affordable prices. But in honor of World Contraception Day (September 26th) we’re drawing attention to the barriers that women in the US still face when trying to take care of their reproductive health in this fundamental way. We’re sharing 14 reasons real women have struggled to obtain birth control before they discovered Nurx, in their own words.
Loooong Hours
“As someone who is set to a 60+ hour work week it is nearly impossible to get a doctor’s appointment anymore. I’ve had 3 cancel on me recently and it makes it crazy hard to take care of myself. ” —Bethany
Clinic Closures
“Found out my local Planned Parenthood was closed due to cuts. I don’t have insurance so I wasn’t sure what to do.” — K
Pricey Prescriptions
“I was . . quoted $60-$80/month for my prescription, and I did not know how I was going to afford that on top of student loans, rent, and my car payment.” — Hollie
No Car
“I don’t have a car and live with my parents, so it’s a huge pain in the ass to get to a doctor as my mom gets home after most business hours and would usually have to take half a day off to get me there.” —Renee
Loss of a Parent
“My mother passed away in February and since then I haven’t had insurance since I was on her plan.” —C
New Plan Problems
“When my insurance changed in June, my pharmacy wanted to charge me $80.00 for my monthly birth control (that used to be $10).” —Melanie
No Time for Pharmacy Lines
“I was very forgetful about picking up my birth control when I was supposed to . . . It’s just really inconvenient. I have a really busy schedule—I work two jobs, and I have a son.” — Megyn
No Appointments Available
“I couldn’t get a gynecologist appointment for months, and just needed a birth control prescription!” —Christa
College
“(I’m) a college student away from home without a general practitioner and without a lot of money.”—Abigail
Appointment Anxiety
“I am a very shy person and I hated having to wait hours at Planned Parenthood to see if I would get approved or not for BC.” —L
Judge-y doctors
“My doctor would sit there and say ‘Well I don’t know why you want to get on birth control–you’re married. Why does it matter if you get pregnant?’” —Chelsea
One word: Toddlers
“Missing work to carry two toddlers to a doctor’s appointment is a nightmare.” —Lezlee
Insufficient Insurance
“Turns out I have the only plan under the Affordable Care Act that isn’t required to cover birth control for religious reasons. The nurse was shocked. I was shocked. My insurance had covered everything before this.” —Elizabeth
Small-town Stigma
“I’m from a small conservative town, so before Nurx I didn’t look forward to talking to my doctor about birth control. They would always ask me if I was sexually active, which is a big thing in a conservative town.” —M
The Bottom Line
If you’ve faced one of these roadblocks trying to get your hands on affordable and convenient birth control, Nurx can help. Check out the 50+ types we prescribe (many starting at $15/month, or for $0 copay with insurance), then request a prescription.
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This blog provides information about telemedicine, health and related subjects. The blog content and any linked materials herein are not intended to be, and should not be construed as a substitute for, medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any reader or person with a medical concern should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other healthcare provider. This blog is provided purely for informational purposes. The views expressed herein are not sponsored by and do not represent the opinions of Nurx™.