*This is an opinion piece and does not reflect the views of Her Campus*
The debate between the pro-life and pro-choice activists has been a popular discussion related to the upcoming election. A common argument for the pro-life believers is that Planned Parenthood should stop receiving funding from the government to prevent abortions from taking place.
Planned Parenthood is a health center that provides confidential services and consulting at little to no cost. Many women who are struggling with financial instability and / or the inability to communicate their sexual health needs to their parents, so Planned Parenthood provides opportunities for these women and more.
Whether you take the side favoring the rights of the unborn or the reproductive rights of women, there are many services provided by Planned Parenthood that would be canceled if they were to be shut down.
- Affordable Birth Control
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Birth control is an active way to prevent pregnancy, whether it be via daily pills, an IUD implant, or simply abstinence. Planned Parenthood provides resources to help women receive birth control, in whatever fashion they prefer for very little to no cost. This can help prevent unwanted pregnancies, therefore preventing the need for an abortion.
In addition to preventing pregnancy, birth control can help control menstrual cramps for many women. It is a case by case basis for the severity of period cramps, as all women are different, but there are women who experience debilitating menstrual cramps every period.
Healthine spoke on why birth control can help manage cramps by saying,
“According to a literature review published by Cochrane Library in 2009, birth control pills are thought to reduce the amount of prostaglandins. This, in turn, is said to reduce blood flow and cramping. The pills also suppress ovulation, which prevents any related cramping.” - STD Testing
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For those who engage in sexual activities, especially with strangers, STD’s are a huge risk. Planned Parenthood offers inexpensive, confidential STD testing. This can help prevent further spread of the disease and give women the chance to get proper education and treatment about those diseases.
- Health and Wellness Exams and Treatments
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Common health concerns that women can experience that are not always caused by intercourse, include UTI’s (urinary tract infections), endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and more. These concerns can be treated at Planned Parenthood for much less than many healthcare providers. These situations can be extremely painful for women, and they can be hard to diagnose.
- Parenting Advice
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On the Planned Parenthood website, there is a section for parental advice for children of every age. For young adults who have a child in their late teens or early twenties, parenting can seem daunting and confusing. But, Planned Parenthood provides parenting tips on their website, in addition to providing appointments to discuss related issues.
Planned Parenthood also provides advice and counseling on how parents should communicate with their child after becoming trans-gender or identifying with a new sexual orientation. This can help make parents feel more confident in their ability to relate to their child and help the family as a whole get closer emotionally.
- Pregnancy Health Services
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It’s common for those who fight on the pro-life side to see Planned Parenthoood as an advocate for abortion, but, that is not entirely true. Planned Parenthood’s website provides more information and services on pregancy health specifically than it does on abortion. These include, but are not limited to, fertility treatments, pre-pregnancy health, health concerns to watch out for during pregnancy, postpartum depression and breastfeeding.
The debate between whether the rights for women or the rights for the unborn are more important to protect has gone on for ages, and it will likely be unsettled for the near future. This means the fight to defund and shut down Planned Parenthood will also persist. But, even if you are against abortion, it is important to know what services Planned Parenthood can offer those without adequate health care that will be taken away if it looses funding.