On to Plan B

[ejpoeta]

I have always been about having the ability to make a choice for myself. When I got pregnant at 26 I chose to have my daughter, though honestly abortion was never really an option I considered. I quit school and got a job and had a baby with my boyfriend at my side. I was scared to death when I found out at 26.... I couldn't imagine being a teenager. It didn't really seem like a choice at the time, but looking back it was. I chose to have a baby.

After we lost everything in a fire when Emily was 4, we decided we wanted to have another child. So we chose to purposely get pregnant. Our first attempt ended in a miscarriage which was devastating, but we tried again and had Ashley in 2005. And we got married also that year shortly before she was born. Another choice that we made.

We were pretty happy with our little family. I didn't think I wanted any more kids but wasn't ready to shut that off completely, so we just took care. But we screwed up and I found out I was pregnant again. I was not happy. You aren't supposed to admit that as a mother I guess, but I will admit I was not very happy about it. Ashley had just gotten out of diapers. My doctor told me that we could take care of it if I didn't want it which jolted me frankly as I hadn't considered it. But I was actually glad to know that my doctor would bring it up to an unhappy pregnant woman. But I chose to have Abby, who was is 13 months right now.

After Abby I KNEW that I did not want anymore kids. I've got my hands full and I only have a 3 bedroom house. But I have procrastinated about getting that taken care of. And then saturday night we had a fail. Oh boy was I pissed. I have an appointment on Wednesday to get my tubes tied because I am definitely sure that at 38 I am done having kids. I immediately thought about Plan B. I threw on my coat and shoes and told my husband I was going to go get that Plan B pill. I went into town and the one store even had their condoms and pregnancy tests locked behind glass. Wasn't sure if walmart had it. but in the end it didn't matter at 12am.... they keep that stuff behind the counter and you have to show ID.

The next morning my husband went in and got it for me. He found a coupon online that saved $10 so it was only $40 for one pill. Our only concern really about the pill was that I am still breastfeeding and was concerned about that. But there was no mention of it, so I took the pill.

I thought about it as a 38 year old. I am sure my husband used his credit card to buy it. But imagine on a Saturday night when your protection fails and you don't have access to this pill that could prevent a pregnancy. you barely have enough for rent much less $50 for the plan b pill. Or if you were 17 and you needed a prescription and you can't get to your doctor for two days.

I thought about how lucky I am to have choices. To be able to decide for myself that I want to have a child or that I don't. And while I may actively be trying to avoid having to choose to have a child or an abortion, I need to have that ability for myself and my family. To be able to decide what's best for my family.

There are people say they don't want government getting in their business. but then they think they have the right to get into mine. To take this choice away from me. I have never had to think about Plan B beyond what I have heard of others. But when I was in that situation, I was glad that I at least had that available to me. That option is there. IT should be there. It needs to be there. For someone who is 16 and someone who is 38.

I envision flaming. I must be stupid to allow myself to have my birth control fail. Or at 26 to be stupid and let my ignorance leave me pregnant. But this isn't about my life as much as it is about the fact that as a woman I need to have access to things like birth control and Plan B and an abortion if needed so that I can make that choice for myself. Because no matter what, I am the one who lives with those choices.

[Autumn Colors]

1. no flaming from me

Just K&R.

I was faced with that choice at 19. I'm now nearly 49 years old and still childless ... by choice.

[ejpoeta]

2. it should be your choice. why is it that people expect all women to

WANT kids. uggh. thanks for no flaming.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Why would anybody flame you? You see, that's just it. People who would flame aren't

capable of walking around in somebody else's shoes. Every woman who decides to have a child and every woman who decides to have an abortion or to use Plan B, has their own story, their own reasons, their own emotions. They make their own choices and that's what we have to fight to keep.

[Hepburn]

4. No flames. All I have to say is...

...:applause: You go, Girl!!!!!!!!

KnR

[uppityperson]

5. Regarding Plan B, it's been used for at least 30 yrs I know of. Here's more info...

way back before there was an official Plan B, it was still used via varied clinics and providers, called Emergency Contraception. I am appalled that it costs $40 now. Seriously, wtf? Way to make money off people in a panic.

What it is, or was, was several of a certain type of commonly found OC. Since there have been many different types OCs in the meantime, with different dosages of different types of estrogen/progesterone, it is a bit more complicated but still is easily done.

I have heard that this is a good site for more info. I am not recommending anyone ever do this as I am not able to prescribe and wouldn't be so foolish or unethical to do so over the internet, but am simply passing on information.If you want more info, please feel free to pm me.

http://www.fwhc.org/birth-control/ecinfo.htm
"If you can’t get Plan B, use prescription birth control pills instead. "

I forgot to say, I agree with all you write. There are many reasons to need this, and can be difficulties finding/affording it. Best wishes to you and yours.

[Warpy]

6. Even the pill has a failure rate. It's small, but it's there

and not everyone can take it. I can't. We need Plan B and access to abortion because birth control does fail. They are essential to women.

Putting off a tubal is understandable, it's major surgery requiring a hospital and general anesthesia.

I just wonder why he isn't considering a vasectomy. It's not major surgery, just a snip in a doctor's office under local anesthesia.

[HockeyMom]

7. From an older woman,

"Plan B" is just a marketing gimmick. What have women been doing for decades when they forget their BC pills? Doubling and tripling up on them, courtesy of their doctors in the know. There is your so called Plan B.

Been there, done that.

[uppityperson]

8. Indeed. I posted a link above

showing equivalents with some types OC's. I remember a discussion with a women's health clinic/volunteer meeting. Someone saying this causes extreme nausea and to beware of letting people know about it. Several of us looked at each other then shared that we'd used it over the yrs and hadn't had any excessive nausea.

[shaayecanaan]

10. Indeed...

but probably best to use minipills rather than combined BC pills. Microlut contains the same active ingredient as Plan B, just a smaller dose.

Recommended medications can be found here:-

http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/Network/v21_1/NWvol21-1emergcontrintro.htm

[Redford]

9. Plan B

should be free for anyone who needs it.