Sometimes, just to feel people out, I ask, "How do you feel about repeat abortions?" Some people will answer, "One is OK, but more than that is just irresponsible," which I may use as a teaching opportunity, or I might just walk away. It depends on my mood. But one person answered, "It's an expensive type of birth control, but if that's a woman's preference, that's fine with me." That counted as a good answer. Abortions aren't cheap, especially when they aren't covered by insurance. Since the economy has gone downhill, I've seen more and more prospective clients decide to continue the pregnancy because they look at 18+ years' worth of expenses for a kid as paying in installments when a few grand for an abortion is out of the question right here, right now. It sounds preposterous, and it is, but the blame doesn't exactly fall squarely on the shoulders of the pregnant woman.
Mostly, I blame the political climate and the plethora of abortion stigma along with the lack of abortion funding, to say little of sex ed. But I had a whole new perspective when I told an abortion client the cost of the IUD she was interested in--the IUD that had minimal side effects, that would prevent pregnancy for up to five years, that had little room for user error, and the same efficacy as a tubal ligation, and yet, it would be completely reversible at any time. In short the IUD that could be the answer to all of her problems. This client had just paid around $500 for her abortion, and the IUD runs around $800. "Wow," she responded, "So, an IUD costs more than abortion, huh? I'll just try going back on the pill."
The ball's in your court now, pharmaceutical companies. We are the 99%, and we need some decent birth control, too.
Post script: I Googled "diamond IUD" because that would be the best image ever for this post. I'm disappointed that it does not exist. YET.
Funny how a copper IUD in Canada costs only 80$ and in the UK one can cost as little as 30£.
ReplyDeleteI weep when I think of all the pregnancies and abortions that could be prevented if the government would only subsidize IUDs instead of Exxon Mobile and other bloated companies that don't need it.