Women must have access to reproductive rights in order to exercise their human rights. These rights are focused on giving women the freedom to decide what is best for their lives, including how many children they have, if any, and how far apart their children are born. Prenatal care, a safe delivery experience, and access to contraception are all part of women’s reproductive rights today. Access to safe and legal Abortion services is also among them. Abortion restrictions go against the rights to privacy, family, health, and even the right to life.
Bans also have a severe impact on underrepresented groups like young people, persons of color, and communities who already struggle to obtain services like healthcare. Women should be trusted by governments to make decisions that are best for their bodies, mental and physical health, and lives. Let us learn more about these in detail.
1. Contraceptive Coverage and Affordable Care
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 increased women’s access to contraception in a number of ways, including by requiring health insurers to pay for all FDA-approved contraceptive methods and services as well as counseling (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2014). This move is especially important for lower-income women who frequently struggle with the cost of routinely purchasing contraception.
The average cost of a year’s supply of birth control pills, according to the Guttmacher Institute, is comparable to 51 work hours for a female making the $7.25 as minimum federal wage per hour. According to one national survey on women’s health the average annual expense for these pills ($370) is equivalent to 68 percent of uninsured women’s yearly out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare services.
2. Access to Pregnancy Termination for Women
The legal right to an abortion was established in the United States by the Roe v. Wade decision of the Supreme Court in 1973. Nevertheless, disputes over laws governing access to abortion, such as those requiring parental consent, notification, and waiting periods, continue to break out between state legislative and executive authorities. Public funding for abortion is still a contentious topic in many states. Federal law has prohibited the use of federal funds for the majority of abortions since 1977 and currently forbids it unless the pregnancy was caused by force or abuse, or the woman’s life is in danger.
These limitations are strengthened by the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Abortion in other instances may be covered by state Medicaid programs utilizing solely state money and not any federal money. Limiting access to abortion through state legislation becomes a frequent practice. A wide range of legislation was proposed and passed in 2013 and 2014. These laws require females to go for an ultrasound before getting a pregnancy termination, targeted abortion clinics with strict regulations, prohibited women from getting health insurance coverage for abortions, and prohibited abortion at later stages of pregnancy.
3. Treatment for Infertility and Family Planning Policies
Treatments for infertility can expand a couple’s options for having children. But they are sometimes unaffordable, particularly when they are not covered by insurance. As of June 2014, laws mandating insurance companies to pay for infertility treatments had been approved by the legislatures of 12 states: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Hawaii, West Virginia, Illinois, Massachusetts Maryland, New Jersey, Montana, Ohio, and New York, Ohio.
To Conclude
As a part of the healthcare system, women should have rightful access to birth control, abortion, family planning resources, and other facilities. Initiatives of public and authority funding will help a lot. And along with that awareness campaigns on women’s reproductive rights too.
Author’s Bio:
I am Madeline jamieson an associate healthcare expert who has been writing on women’s health for several years now. I write on topics such as pregnancy care and facilities and am pro-choice. I am a stoic supporter of rights for reproductive health concerns.
