The regulations surrounding birth control can be complicated and, fortunately, the regulations are changing. This has been a popular topic of discussion both in the political and legal spheres for several years. Now, birth control is being thrust into the spotlight once again. There is a case surrounding birth control regulations that has been added to the Supreme Court’s calendar in April.
Many people see birth control as any other medical service. They claim that it should be covered by health insurance. It should also be included in employer-sponsored health insurance plans. On the other hand, there are other parties who see it differently.
Some organizations have a moral or religious objection to providing birth control coverage as a part of a health insurance package. They claim that if they are forced to cover birth control, this would be a violation of the first amendment’s protection of freedom of religion.
This Supreme Court case is important because the decision may open up federal laws and regulations to more legal challenges. The case is between a religious organization and the state of Pennsylvania. The justices are going to hear arguments regarding whether there should be religious exemptions to the contraception mandate that has been included under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. This law states that health insurance policies are required to provide coverage for birth control; however, this religious organization states that this is a violation of their religious freedom.
There are numerous forms of birth control on the market. Many women of reproductive age take an oral contraceptive pill every day. There is also an oral emergency contraceptive available, used to prevent implantation of the embryo into the uterus following fertilization. Some women struggle to remember to take a pill every day. Therefore, there are also alternatives. One popular option is an intra-uterine device, also known as an IUD. This is a device that is implanted directly into the uterus and releases hormones steadily to prevent the fertilization of an egg. Some of these IUDs can last for years. Of course, there are also male condoms as well. In general, couples are encouraged to use condoms even when using other forms of birth control because condoms can protect against sexually transmitted infections whereas other forms of birth control cannot. Therefore, all of these birth control options are important for couples.
The Supreme Court case may play a major role in the regulation of birth control options in the future. Many women depend on access to birth control for their own reproductive health. Therefore, many people in the legal and medical communities are waiting to see how this result will turn out. Depending on what happens in this case, there might be other challenges to the federal mandate in the Affordable Care Act as well.