**TL;DR : Free birth control should be essential** In the UK, most contraception is free under the NHS, if prescribed by a doctor. Alongside this, a lot of schools and colleges encourage young people to sign up for the C-Card scheme, which allows young people to get free access to condoms and sexual health testing services if they are between the ages of 13-24. In the USA, contraception is free for a majority of women with insurance, under The Affordable Care Act. However, if someone does not have access to medical insurance, then they are forced to pay for the cost of contraception. If people can not afford medical insurance or the cost of doctor fees, then this makes contraception inaccessible. Birth control is important [because it allows women to have control over their bodies, and have control over their fertility, thus reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions] (https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.70.7.736). A study from the Washington University School of Medicine estimated that access to free birth control [would prevent as many as 41-71% of abortions performed annually in the United States] (https://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e6763). Alongside fertility and pregnancy contraceptive purposes, the pill is also used to treat and manage health conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS. There have not yet been scientific breakthroughs for these diseases, so often the birth control pill is the most effective way of managing symptoms. Furthermore, for women who experience heavy uterine bleeding, birth control is often the only viable solution. For something that is essential to so many people, birth control should be free. Birth control does not just regulate pregnancies, it improves people's quality of life.

**TL;DR: Safe sex is important but doesn’t need to be free** [Sex is important] (https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sex-health-benefits) in many peoples lives. It can strengthen bonds in a relationship as well as providing many psychological and physical benefits. However the same can also be said of sleep and food. Beds and meals are not given out to anyone who wants them and are arguable more important to peoples physical and mental wellbeing than being sexually active. While it is important to maintain sexual health and be free of diseases. If a person cannot afford the monetary or social cost to purchase protection then they are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of being sexually active. Participants should be motivated by the opportunity to forgo an unplanned pregnancy or avoid sexually transmitted diseases and therefore be willing to part with money for protection.

**TL;DR - Birth Control is not just ‘the pill’. There are so many different types and methods of birth control and I think all should be available for free** Birth Control is something that I personally believe should be regularly available to all. **Benefits of Birth Control Being Free** **Reduction in Teen Pregnancies **- Birth Control being free has the ability to reduce any stigma or embarrassment if young adults require any form of contraception. Something that can be so simple as Birth Control could protect teens from unwanted pregnancies and allow them to become more comfortable using birth control, which in the future would allow for a more healthy relationship with safe sex. **Socio-Economics** - Poor and Low Income women have a higher [unintended pregnancy rate] (https://www.thecut.com/2016/11/why-birth-control-should-be-free.html). Making Birth Control free would then mean fewer women have to go through any trauma of abortions or go through with pregnancies that they feel they can’t afford. Putting emotion aside, the money healthcare could save from investing in Birth Control rather than mental health service for people going through pregnancy struggles and birthing costs would be a great investment. **Other Health Benefits** - Many forms of birth control also offer health benefits for people with other illnesses or extreme symptoms, for example people who suffer with [endometriosis] (https://www.thecut.com/2016/11/why-birth-control-should-be-free.html). I think the pros of it being free outweigh the cost factor on healthcare systems. Birth Control being free would have many positive societal changes and improvements.

We really got to slow down the baby making. The taxpayer cost towards condoms is a lot better than providing government support for someone who has insufficient income to raise a child.