Campaigns, Policy Updates
The National Women’s Health Network’s 2024 Policy Agenda
January 24, 2024
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Consumer Health Info, Deep Dive Articles
Publication Date: August 24, 2022
By: NWHN Staff
Human sexuality, pregnancy prevention, and pregnancy intention are all complicated issues. And people must balance a range of trade-offs when selecting the contraceptive option that works best for their unique situation. Many methods are available, and all have different side effects. Complicating matters, what one person sees as a benefit, another might view as a drawback.
Unfortunately, too many clinicians pre-judge what’s right for an individual before they even walk in the door rather than letting the individual guide the conversation based on their own reproductive priorities. In the worst cases, implicit or explicit quotas and incentives influence the number and/or kind of birth control methods clinicians prescribe. The NWHN has done a lot of work on this type of contraception coercion, focusing on the ways that clinicians, policymakers, and/or public health funders try to push women into-or away from-particular kinds of birth control. While women across demographic groups report that their medical providers don’t always listen to them or respect their decision-making, the problem is particularly acute for women of color, low-income women, immigrant women, LGBTQI individuals, and members of other marginalized communities.
“While it can sometimes be hard, advocating for yourself in the provider’s office is a crucial part of ensuring that you get the best care for you.”
Part of our efforts include helping people with contraception self-advocacy. While it can sometimes be hard, advocating for yourself in the provider’s office is a crucial part of ensuring that you get the best care for you. No one knows your body as well as you do, so you’re the best person to evaluate and make decisions on your behalf. This type of contraception self-advocacy requires people to have the resources and skills needed to assert themselves and communicate their own medical, reproductive, and contraceptive needs. Here are some tips for fostering medical self-advocacy around contraceptive choices.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the contraceptive method that’s best for you, your lifestyle, and your reproductive goals. Before your appointment, consider what you want from your birth control. If you’re currently using contraception, consider what you like and don’t like about it. These questions can help guide you:
Doing your research doesn’t mean you have to arrive at the appointment knowing the exact method you want. But, having a good idea of what you’re looking for and what you hope to get out of your contraception will help guide you and your medical practitioner to a method that will work best for you.
Your provider should encourage you to have a say in your own contraception. This process should not be one-sided; you should not have to fight to make your voice heard. Because of the clinician’s personal views about contraception-and sometimes about the individual-it can sometimes be hard to make this happen. Here are some tips:
Preparation and confidence in voicing your own needs will help ensure you can practice successful self-advocacy. People who can make fully informed decisions for themselves are much more likely to be satisfied in the end-and that’s good for everyone.
Updated 11/21/2023 by Rachel Grimsley, RN, BSN, MSN, Nurse Writer