Pro

Making birth control pills OTC could lower the abortion rate.

In a survey of women seeking abortions, 72% said they were pregnant because they could not get the contraception they needed, and 32% reported an institutional reason such as the prescription requirement. These obstacles resulted in a 35% increase in contraceptives not being used. [22]

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated: “The most effective way to reduce abortion rates is to prevent unintended pregnancy by improving access to consistent, effective, and affordable contraception… [and a] strategy for improving access to contraception is to allow over-the-counter access to oral contraceptive pills.” The Guttmacher Institute stated that “more and better contraceptive use” caused the 13% decline in abortion rates between 2008 and 2011. [23] [24]

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