I am a 25 year old woman. I started on birth control pills at age 18 when I became sexually active. They allowed me to get through college without having to care for another human, when I was barely able to care for myself.

When I was 21, I chose to switch to a long-acting reversible contraceptive. I was grateful to have options and selected the non-hormonal IUD because I wanted to limit long-term exposure to synthetic hormones. I had the support of my OB/GYN and have had my IUD since then.

It has allowed me to work, start graduate school, save money, and build a life with my partner, all without having babies before I’m ready.

It has allowed me to work, start graduate school, save money, and build a life with my partner, all without having babies before I’m ready. I want to have children, but I know that I am not yet capable of being a good mother.

For the past five years, I have struggled with health issues that seem to prevent me from gaining and maintaining a healthy weight. If I were to get pregnant now, I would be considered a high-risk patient. I would have a very high risk of going into labor prematurely and having a baby that would end up in NICU. Not only can I not afford NICU hospital bills, but I don’t want that for myself or my child. Having access to effective and safe birth control is literally in the best interest of my personal health and the health of any children I may have. It is allowing me to prioritize gaining weight and working with my medical team to understand my health issues, so that I can have a health pregnancy down the road.

Birth control is not a luxury for me. It is a necessity. And I am incredibly privileged to be able to put my reproductive cycle on hold to make sure that I am as healthy as I can be when I’m ready to have children. This should not be something that only the privileged can access. This is a right.