I have been fortunate to have care available when I needed it so far in my life, whether it was publicly funded or through my insurance. I first had to use reproductive health services when I was 19, and needed a pregnancy test. I went to my university’s health building, where a slightly judgmental but helpful nurse gave me a pregnancy test. Fortunately, it came back negative.

My next stop, following this, was to a clinic to get an IUD put in, not wanting to have another scare. I had to pay for this mostly out of pocket, not wanting to ask my family to pay for it (and embarrassed to tell them about it), as well as it not being covered through insurance. I had to borrow a friend’s car and wish I would’ve known that it would be incredibly painful for a couple hours afterward; had I known that, I would have had someone pick me up.

This second IUD will be good until this summer (about 4-5 months away), so I’m hoping Planned Parenthood will continue to cover IUDs, or else I will be finding somewhere else to get one.

Things went pretty well for several years until I got an infection and had to get the IUD taken out. For whatever reason my gynecologist didn’t put in new IUDs, so I went to Planned Parenthood, having a good experience although again wishing I had someone to drive me home. This second IUD will be good until this summer (about 4-5 months away), so I’m hoping Planned Parenthood will continue to cover IUDs, or else I will be finding somewhere else to get one.