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OTC birth control pills could lower the rate of unintended pregnancies, saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

54% of unintended pregnancies were associated with not using contraceptives and 41% with inconsistent use. Unintended pregnancies cost the US federal and state governments $21 billion in 2010, the newest numbers available at the time of publication, with the average cost-per-birth being $12,770 for prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care, and 12 months of infant care ($20,716 for 60 months). The Guttmacher Institute estimated that $15.5 billion dollars could have been saved if the unintended pregnancies had been prevented. [1] [17]

Only 5% of unintended pregnancies have happened while the woman used effective birth control consistently. A study found that women who received a one-year supply of Pills were 30% less likely to have an unplanned pregnancy and 46% less likely to have an abortion. A study comparing Pill use between women who obtained Pills with a prescription from an El Paso, Texas, clinic and women who obtained Pills OTC from Mexico showed that the women who got Pills OTC were more likely to continuously use the medication. [1] [18] [19]

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