ENC 1101
11 June 2012
Birth Control

Birth control has been around for many years; it has evolved so much. Birth control dates back to Egypt as early as 3000 B.C.. (Macmillan) Archeologists have found drawings from that time period showing men wearing condoms. It cannot be specified weather or not they used the condoms for sex or for ceremonial purposes. (Macmillan) In 1850 B.C. the earliest evidence of a birth control device used by woman was a Pessary. A Pessary is an object or mixture inserted into the vagina to block or kill sperm. Directions on how to create a pessary were found from that time. (Macmillan) Different kinds of materials were tried for condoms, from lamb intestines to linen. Condom usage flourished in 1844 after Charles Goodyear improved the processing of rubber. (Macmillan) Other methods of birth control for woman were also invented and tested during that time, including vaginal sponges, diaphragms, and intrauterine devices or IUDs. (Macmillan) In the 1990’s woman used another form of birth control, which was prolonging lactation. This method was only 50% effective. (Bengtsson) Therefore contraceptives have come along way but our government and the people are saying two different things. The subject of birth control was considered taboo to the law. The taboos went away when the first court case against a manufacturer of the contraceptive came about. (Shaffer) Our government has not fully agreed with the idea of birth control being available to everyone but they have compromised with the situation. Although the pill is still not available without prescription, they have made the plan B or the morning after pill available without prescription. The plan B pill is available over the counter and you used to have to be 18 years old to purchase but now they have lowered the age requirement to 17 years old because of so many teen pregnancies. Just recently in 2011, President Obama made it that insurance companies are required to cover prescriptions for birth control methods and other types of woman’s preventative services with out co-payment. (Bajende) Some women have even gone further to suggest that he should make it that prescriptions are not needed for birth control. Woman have wanted that move since 1933 when Charlotte Ellertson, a woman’s activist who founded the reproductive health, a research and educational organization focusing on woman’s reproductive rights, began fighting for them. (“Should Prescriptions Be Required for Contraceptives”) There were certain states where birth control was against the law, and there were people who fought tooth and nail against it. Mrs. Sanger, who became a determined crusader for the birth control as a result of experiences as a public health nurse among poor immigrant families in New York City. She purposefully opened a birth control clinic in Brooklyn in 1916. (Shaffer) Mrs. Sanger was indicted under the obscenity law; refusing to seek clemency by promising to desist from her activities she left the country. When Mrs. Sanger returned in 1915, after her husband had been sentenced 30 days in the workhouse for giving out some of her pamphlets. He mistakenly gave one to an under cover agent of the New York police department. When they were taken to court she had a lot of people testify on her behalf and lucky her chief harasser had died. There fore the indictment was withdrawn and she was free again to stand for what she believed in. (shaffer) Thanks to woman like Mrs. Sanger birth control is more abundant and not taboo. Another issue of birth control is the topic of funding. Supporters of covering birth control say that such a privilege will make it easier and more affordable for woman to obtain the method of birth control that is most effective and appropriate for them ending in less unintended pregnancies and abortions. (“Birth control funding”) Having fewer unintended pregnancies will save not only cost, U.S. taxpayers money, and will have other positive benefits