Spring 2012
Kendra Trinka
Birth Control Requirements
Birth Control Requirements
Spring 2012
Geneva College, in Beaver Falls, PA, is suing the federal government. The lawsuit stems
from President Obama’s new health care regulation. This regulation requires employers to offer
birth control coverage, including morning after pills, to employees. They believe that the
President’s compromise is “fictitious.” They are seeking a judge’s ruling to exempt them from
complying with the birth control mandate. They claim that it violates the Sixth Commandment.
President Obama’s administration stated that churches are exempt from this regulation, but not
church-run schools and hospitals. A paper that defends this birth control regulation states that
the First Amendment right of religious freedom is not violated because the regulation is not
aimed at religious groups. It applies equally to businesses that are not religiously centered.
Geneva argues that these claims are not good enough, considering that if the school dropped its
health care plan, it would be fined at least $500,000 per year. Republican lawmakers have also
filed legislation that would permit insurance companies to change the requirements for birth
control (Geneva College Names Heads of HHS, Labor, Treasury in Federal Lawsuit, 2012).
There are thirteen different types of birth control. They include abstinence, condoms,
spermicides, diaphragms, cervical caps, contraceptive sponges, birth control pills, birth control
shots, vaginal rings, birth control patches, intrauterine devices (IUDs, withdrawal, and
sterilization (Types of Birth Control, 2003). As a Christian community, Geneva College preaches
abstinence. Abstinence is choosing not to have sexual relations. It is 100% effective against
pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDs and STIs) (Types of Birth
Control, 2003). Most insurance companies cover the costs of sterilization for both men and
women and some forms of birth control. If Geneva would look into their insurance policy, they
would see that they are already paying for at least two types of birth control. They teach that if a
person cannot combat the heat of the moment with abstinence, to use a condom.
Condoms come in two forms, male and female. Male condoms are made of thin latex or
plastic and are worn during intercourse. They prevent pregnancy by keeping sperm from
fertilizing an egg. They also reduce the risk of catching sexually transmitted infections and
diseases. When condoms are used properly, two out of every 100 women end up pregnant. Even
if they are used improperly, only 18 out of 100 women end up pregnant. Condoms are very safe
unless one of the two involved in the sexual activity is allergic to latex. Male condoms are
inexpensive and do not require a prescription. Male condoms can be used with every method of
birth control except female condoms. If the condom breaks, emergency contraception can
prevent pregnancy if it is taken within five days of unprotected sex (Condom).
Each year three million women have babies via unexpected pregnancy. These women
either neglected to use protection or used it wrong. There are things these women could have
done to avoid an unintended pregnancy. These women could have gone to the drug store or a
clinic for emergency contraception (morning after pills). The morning after pill, Ella has a 1.8%
chance of failure and Plan B has a 2.6% chance of failure. These pills will not terminate an
existing pregnancy (Gardner).
Plan B, Plan B One-Step, and Next Choice are made from progestin. Ella is made from
ulipristal acetate. These pills all work to block ovulation, and in effect, prevent pregnancy. These
pills are for birth control, not abortion. A copper IUD can act as a preventative after unprotected
sex. ParaGard is 99.9% effective if inserted within 5 days of unprotected sex. The pills work for
up to five days, but the sooner they are taken, the better. Emergency contraception does not
protect against STDs and STIs. Ella requires a prescription no matter the woman’s age. Plan B
and the like are available for women over 17 without a prescription; women under 17 need a
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prescription. All methods of birth control can be obtained at a clinic, like Planned Parenthood.
Emergency contraception should not be used as an ongoing form of birth control because there
are better methods that are more effective (Emergency Contraception).
There are eight different types of birth control. They are combination pills, progestinonly pills, extended-cycle pills, vaginal rings, diaphragms, IUDs, patches, and implants.
Combination pills are 99% effective when taken every day around the same time. The progestinonly pill, called the mini-pill, does not contain estrogen. Extended-cycle pills allow a woman to
have a period four times a year, although there is one that allows a woman not to get her period
at all for a year. Vaginal rings are just like combination pills. Diaphragms have to be used with
spermicides and must be fitted at the doctor’s office. There are two types of IUDs, hormonal and
non-hormonal. He patch is like the pill. Implants are placed under the skin of the upper arm and
last for three years (12 Types of Birth Control).
The first kind of birth control is the pill. Combination birth control pills work the best
when taken daily, while progestin-only pills have to be taken at the same time every day. Nine
out of 100 women get pregnant if they take the pill incorrectly. After a woman stops taking the
pill, she can become pregnant in about two months. Birth control pills come in two forms, a 21day pack, and a 28-day pack. The 28-day pack contains seven days of inactive pills. Extendedcycle pills contain a few months’ worth of active pills. They are packaged specially for women
who chose to have fewer periods. This form of birth control is only available with a prescription
or from a clinic (Birth Control Pill).
The next kind of birth control is in the ring. The vaginal ring is a small flexible ring
inserted once a month for three weeks to prevent pregnancy. They contain both estrogen and
progestin. If it is not used correctly, nine out of 100 women will become pregnant. These take
more care than the pill because it can slip out and it can be forgotten. If it is forgotten or slips
out, use backup protection. The only type of protection that cannot be used with the ring is a
diaphragm. It is available by prescription or at a clinic (Birth Control Vaginal Ring).
A third type of birth control is an IUD. The copper IUD, ParaGard, is effective for up to
twelve years. Mirena, the hormonal counterpart to ParaGard, is effective for up to five years.
Less than one out of every 100 women will become pregnant the longer they have an IUD in.
Even though they seem to be expensive in the beginning, they are the least expensive and
longest lasting form of birth control. It must be put in place and removed by a doctor. A woman
can get pregnant as soon as the IUD is removed. The only down side to the IUD is the cost to
have it removed if it is before the end of its effectiveness (IUD).
Another type of birth control is the patch. The patch is a thin, beige, plastic patch that is
placed on the skin one week. The patch is worn for three weeks in a row, followed by a patch free
week. If the patch is used incorrectly, nine out of every 100 women will become pregnant.
Women can become pregnant relatively quickly after stopping the patch. The patch can be
obtained by prescription or at a clinic (Birth Control Patch).
A fifth type of birth control is the implant. The implant must be put in place and removed
by a doctor. It is a plastic implant, about the same size as a matchstick and release progestin. It
has the second largest, continual type of birth control on the market. Women can become
pregnant shortly after having the implant removed. It is only available at a doctor’s office or a
clinic (Birth Control Implant).
The last type of birth control is the shot. The shot releases progestin to prevent
pregnancy and works for three months. The shot works the best when each shot is received
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Spring 2012
every twelve weeks. If the shot is not used properly, there is only a six out of 100 chance of
getting pregnant. The shot must be given by a doctor or at a clinic with a prescription. It can take
between six and ten months for a woman to become pregnant after stopping the shot (Birth
Control Shot).
Should a woman become pregnant and either does not want to go through the process of
pregnancy and delivery and have the child adopted, or the health of the woman or fetus is in
danger, the woman has two options. She can have a medication abortion or an in-clinic
abortion. Which one the woman chooses depends on her situation.
The abortion pill is the medicine version of an abortion. It can be used up to nine weeks
into a pregnancy. It is effective 97 out of 100 times. There is a required follow-up appointment
to make sure that the fetus was aborted completely. If the pregnancy were to continue, the
medications could cause serious birth defects. It blocks progestin, causing the pregnancy to
terminate. The second medication, misoprostol, is taken up to three days after the first. The
doctor administering the first medication will give the recipient instructions that tell them when
to take the second medication and how to take it. If a woman is still pregnant after taking the
medication, she will need to have an in-clinic abortion. Some women feel that having a
medication abortion feels more like having a miscarriage than having an actual abortion. They
choose this form of abortion because it can be completed in the privacy of their own homes
(Abortion Pill).
An in-clinic abortion can be performed any time, up to the end of the second trimester of
pregnancy. If a woman is under 18 years old, the state she resides in may require that one or
both of her parents’ consent to the abortion. Many states allow a judge to excuse this
requirement. Until the sixteenth week of a pregnancy, an aspiration abortion is the most
common procedure. During this procedure, the cervix is dilated and a tube is inserted into the
uterus and the fetus is sucked out. This procedure takes about five to ten minutes. The second
type of abortion is called either dilation and evacuation or dilation and curettage. It is only
called a dilation and curettage if a curette is used to remove anything that remains in the
woman’s uterus. If the abortion is taking place in the later part of the second trimester, a woman
has to have a shot through her abdomen to make sure that the fetus is dying before the
procedure can begin. The process is very similar and takes about ten to twenty minutes. After an
abortion, a woman with Rh-negative blood receives a shot to protect any future pregnancies that
she may have (In-Clinic Abortion).
Both medicated an in-clinic abortions can cause women to be emotional. The three main
reasons a woman would feel anything but relief are having emotional problems before the
procedure, having important people in her life not supporting her decision, and being forced to
terminate the pregnancy because either her health or the fetus’s health is in jeapord. These
feelings normally only last a little while and include anger, regret, guild, and sadness (In-Clinic
Abortion). If none of the aforementioned types of birth control and emergency contraception are
not right, or a couple decides that they do not want to have any more children, there are two
permanent options for the couple, male and female sterilization.
Female sterilization is called tubal sterilization. There are no-incision methods and
incision methods. Adiana and Essure are no-incision methods of tubal sterilization. When
Adiana is the method, twenty out of 1,000 women will become pregnant. When Adiana is used,
the healthcare provider places an insert into the woman’s fallopian tubes and the natural body
tissues grow around them, blocking the tubes. When Essure is the chosen method, three out of
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1,000 women will become pregnant, With Essure, micro inserts are placed in each fallopian tube
and natural tissues grow around the inserts, blocking the tubes. Neither Adiana nor Essure is
effective immediately; both methods take up to three months to be effective and may take
longer, depending on the woman (Sterilization for Women).
There are three incision methods, Laparoscopy, Mini-Laparoscopy, and Laparotomy.
The Laparoscopy and Mini-Laparoscopy are the most common forms of sterilization. During a
Laparoscopy, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide so the doctor can see the internal
organs. The doctor then makes a small incision near the navel and closes the fallopian tubes.
This procedure takes between twenty and thirty minutes can causes very little scarring. A MiniLaparoscopy is the most often performed after childbirth. The doctor makes an incision between
the pubic hair and navel and ties, clips, or electrical probes the tubes to block them. A
Laparotomy is a major surgery. The doctor makes a two to five inch incision and closes off the
tubes. If it occurs immediately following childbirth, the woman’s hospital stay may be extended
one or two days. If the woman did not give childbirth before having the surgery, she may have to
stay between two and four days to recover. Out of all the woman that have one of these
sterilization methods, five out of 1,000 become pregnant. The “last resort” of the incision
methods is the Hysterectomy. It is a last resort because it completely removes the uterus.
Doctors normally use this method to treat other health problems, not just a woman wanting to
be sterilized (Sterilization for Women).
The last type of sterilization is a Vasectomy. It is nearly 10% effective in preventing
pregnancy. It closes the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the outside world. There are
two methods for this procedure incision and no-incision. During the incision method, the
surgeon makes three incisions and ties each tube off, using surgical clips or an electric current.
In the no-incision method, the doctor makes a small puncture, and then ties off, cauterizes, or
blocks the tubes. The no-incision method requires no stitches and does not scar. This type of
sterilization is the most effective and the least costly of the sterilization choices, costing much
less than female sterilization because it is less complicated (Vasectomy).
Most health insurance policies cover many of the types of birth control that were covered
in this paper, including sterilization. The only type that is not covered is condoms. If Geneva
took the time to evaluate its current insurance provider, they would recognize that they are
already paying for many of the things that they are now suing to get out of paying. There is no
difference if offering public health care has birth control coverage or if offering private health
care covers birth control. Many insurance companies cover abortions that are deemed medically
necessary. It would be just as easy to accept the changes to their health care and offer the
services for those who wish to partake in them as opposed to not offer them at all. People who
want these amenities in their health care will use them and those who do now will not use them.
There is no reason to beg for an exemption when they are already offer the things that they are
trying to get out of offering.
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Works Cited
12 Types of Birth Control. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Health:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20354669,00.html
Types of Birth Control. (2003, 07). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from American Pregnancy:
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/preventingpregnancyoverviewtypesbirthcontrol.html
Geneva College Names Heads of HHS, Labor, Treasury in Federal Lawsuit. (2012, 02 21).
Retrieved 02 22, 2012, from WTAE:
http://www.wtae.com/news/30509072/detail.html?htp=us_bn4
Abortion Pill. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/abortion-pill-medicationabortion-4354.asp
Birth Control Implant. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-plantimplanon-4243.htm
Birth Control Patch. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-patchortho-evra-4240.htm
Birth Control Pill. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill4228.htm
Birth Control Shot. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control-shot-depo-provera4242.htm
Birth Control Vaginal Ring. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-vaginalring-nuvaring-4241.htm
Condom. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/condom-10187.htm
Emergency Contraception. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/emergency-contraception-morningafter-pill-4363.asp
Gardner, A. (n.d.). Your Morning-After Options. Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Health:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20418342,00.html
In-Clinic Abortion. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/in-clinic-abortionprocedures-4359.asp
IUD. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/iud-4245.htm
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Sterilization for Women. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/sterilization-women4248.htm
Vasectomy. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 23, 2012, from Planned Parenthood:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/vasectomy-4249.htm
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