In July, the Supreme Court ruled that employers and universities with "religious or moral objections" to birth control can remove contraceptive coverage from their insurance plans. While this is an obvious attack on reproductive rights, it also puts women's health at risk in a number of ways.
"We use birth control pills to treat endometriosis, anovulation, hirsutism (unwanted hair growth), and even acne," Peter Klatsky, MD, an ob-gyn, fertility specialist, and cofounder of Spring Fertility, told POPSUGAR. "These conditions can cause severe pain in many cases and even cancer in the case of women with anovulation due to PCOS."
Dr. Klatsky explained that birth control pills are a safe and effective treatment for conditions like endometriosis and PCOS, which should carry the same weight as any other medical condition. He emphasised that the only way to overrule a SCOTUS decision is with legislation by Congress, and that's why it's so important to ask your Congressperson if they're committed to passing legislation to protect women's access to "one of the most studied, effective, and safest medications ever produced."
"Birth control also helps women plan their families and control their fertility," Dr. Klatsky added. Why should anyone be at greater risk of an unplanned pregnancy, simply because their employer doesn't want them to take the pill?
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