A good idea that could be deadly

​

While making at least one standardized form of birth control sounds reasonable, making the Pill readily available can result in the death women who have adverse effects to hormones and take hormonal birth control without consulting a doctor.

​

Bioinformatics major Megan McGhie is one such woman. She has a hereditary condition that puts her at risk for life-threatening seizures, were she to use hormonal birth control. She became aware of her condition after one of her sisters consulted a doctor about birth control. 

​

Women like McGhie are a major concern for nurse practitioner Carol Graff, who has worked in gynecology for the past six years. She has patients ranging in age from 13-90. Before she became a nurse practitioner she worked as a registered nurse for 23 years.

​

"Birth control I feel is very important," Graff said, "I think it's important that women are able to use birth control if they don't want to have children at this time, also I think it's important for them to help control miserable periods and irregular periods or painful periods."

​

Graff is delighted with the major steps that have been made in the quality and variety of birth control options, and she thinks the ability to afford IUDs is important.

​

"I have a lot of women that we use IUDs just for period control, so they're not bleeding heavily or having terrible cramping," Graff said.

​

Graff is concerned about the future of affordable birth control, especially in regards to her patients. 

​

"I like the fact that people can get (IUDs) a lot cheaper, and insurances are covering it," Graff explained, "that has really helped my practice and my patients that way, it gives them more options."

​

Graff thinks making birth control pills available without a prescription is a bad idea. 

​

"Anybody that comes into my office, I screen them to see if they are healthy enough to be on birth control pills because estrogen does pose a risk," Graff said.

​

Women at risk, according to Graff, include women who are prone to migraines, smokers, women who are overweight and women like McGhie, who have a hereditary condition. Life-threatening side effects include blood clots, strokes and seizures. Graff goes through a detailed screening of patients before prescribing any sort of birth control.

​

If the Affordable Care Act is repealed and IUDs become less affordable, Graff is concerned for her patients who cannot take hormonal oral contraception because of health or other reasons. 

"If you take away the Affordable Care Act, we just jeopardize a lot of women who don't have access to insurance or who aren't covered and they can't get an IUD," Graff said.

​

Graff's patients include students, single mothers, and families who can't afford to have another child. All of these people benefit from the ACA.

​

As to whether or not the federal government should be involved, Graff isn't sure where to draw the line. She admits that certain aspects of the ACA are perhaps less than desirable, but she hopes that birth control affordability carries over into whatever  legislation the new administration creates.

​

"I just know that my job, having a wider variety has helped so many women who couldn't be on just birth control pills," Graff said, "I've given them better options and that feels nice."