Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
WHAT IF
  • 2/2/2024
It sounds sensible, but it's extremely controversial.

Category

📺
TV
Transcript
00:00 ♪ ♪
00:10 Family planning.
00:12 It sounds sensible,
00:14 but it's extremely controversial.
00:16 At least, in some countries.
00:19 What if it wasn't?
00:21 What if the world recognized
00:22 a woman's right to birth control?
00:25 What if birth control was freely accessible?
00:28 How does this pill
00:30 improve women's health
00:32 and society as a whole?
00:35 This is WHAT IF,
00:37 and here's what would happen
00:38 if birth control was free
00:40 everywhere.
00:41 Since 1994,
00:43 worldwide contraceptive use
00:45 has gone up by 8.3%.
00:48 But in North America,
00:49 it's gone down.
00:51 This might have something to do
00:52 with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that,
00:54 for religious reasons,
00:56 employers' health plans
00:57 don't have to cover birth control
00:59 for their employees.
01:00 Elsewhere in the world,
01:01 there are nearly 50 countries
01:03 where birth control is totally free.
01:05 So, who's right?
01:07 Is there a right answer
01:09 when it comes to birth control?
01:10 You can decide for yourself,
01:12 but consider these facts first.
01:15 Every year,
01:16 U.S. taxpayers pay, on average,
01:18 $12 billion a year
01:20 for unplanned pregnancies
01:21 that are heavily subsidized by Medicaid.
01:24 A rough estimate
01:25 of how much each unplanned birth costs
01:28 comes to about $13,000.
01:31 But to supply one woman
01:32 with a year's worth of birth control
01:34 only costs about $250.
01:38 Actually, making birth control free
01:40 would save a lot more money,
01:42 since a majority of those affected
01:44 by unwanted pregnancies
01:45 are low-income women
01:46 who would require
01:47 long-lasting government support
01:49 in order to raise a child
01:50 they can't otherwise afford.
01:53 The unaffordability,
01:54 or simply the unavailability,
01:56 of birth control
01:57 not only increases the number
01:58 of unplanned pregnancies,
02:00 it also raises the abortion rate.
02:03 Of all the unplanned pregnancies
02:05 in the U.S. since 2006,
02:08 roughly half of them ended in abortion.
02:11 Politically contentious
02:12 and personally traumatic,
02:14 we could significantly reduce
02:16 the number of abortions every year
02:18 simply by making birth control free.
02:21 But the pill doesn't just prevent
02:23 unwanted pregnancies,
02:25 it improves women's health,
02:26 and it reduces medical costs.
02:29 According to the U.S.
02:30 Department of Health and Human Services,
02:32 birth control pills
02:33 lower a woman's risk
02:35 for ovarian cancer,
02:36 and can prevent endometriosis,
02:39 a condition that affects fertility.
02:42 Not to mention,
02:43 women who experience
02:44 unintended pregnancy
02:45 are less likely to receive
02:47 the early prenatal care they deserve,
02:49 and are more likely to smoke,
02:51 drink, and suffer depression
02:53 and domestic abuse
02:54 during their pregnancy.
02:56 Conversely,
02:57 a recent study showed that
02:58 easier access to birth control
03:00 improved quality of life among women.
03:03 A majority of the study's participants
03:05 were able to complete their education,
03:08 find work,
03:08 and support themselves financially.
03:11 So what could we expect
03:13 from a world where birth control is free?
03:16 Lower taxes,
03:17 fewer premature deaths,
03:19 and a society that does more
03:20 to respect women,
03:22 and to promote their safety and success.
03:25 This ideal future
03:26 might be closer than you think.
03:28 Contraceptive use
03:29 is spreading around the world.
03:31 While birth control
03:32 is still most prevalent in North America,
03:34 in the past decade,
03:35 its usage in Africa
03:37 has increased by almost 60%,
03:39 the world's most dramatic jump,
03:41 compared to South America's 15% rise
03:44 and a 10% boost in Asia.
03:47 There's still a lot more work to do,
03:48 and it starts with raising awareness
03:50 and focusing more attention
03:52 on women's health.
03:54 Taking your time to properly plan for a child
03:56 shouldn't be political,
03:57 and definitely not controversial.
03:59 It should be as simple
04:00 and as sensible as it sounds.
04:02 So show this video to family and friends,
04:05 so that they too might understand
04:07 how a small pill
04:08 can make a huge difference.
04:11 And for more high-impact ideas,
04:13 just keep watching WHAT IF.
04:15 ♪ ♪
04:23 That was WHAT IF,
04:25 and here's what will happen
04:26 if you click like or subscribe.
04:29 We'll get to make more of the videos you love,
04:31 educate the masses,
04:33 and maybe even save the world.
04:35 There's only one way to find out.
04:37 [no audio]

Recommended

3:25
Up next
Would men take a male birth control?
Brut America
5/6/2022
3:28
Is birth control for men finally on the way?
Brut America
4/5/2022
3:32
Male birth control pill: Why are we still waiting?
Le Monde
3/14/2024
8:03
History of the birth control pill
Brut America
3/25/2025
4:14
What If Abortion Was Illegal Worldwide?
WHAT IF
1/26/2024
20:05
விந்து வெளியேறும் முன் Pull Out செய்தால் Pregnancy-ஐ தவிர்க்கலாமா? - Birth Control Methods Explained
say swag
7/15/2021
1:03
Male Birth Control Pill Passes First Human Trial
WooGlobe
7/24/2025
1:54
Doctor Breaks Down Different Types of Birth Control
Health Magazine
2/8/2023
3:45
10 Common Birth Control Myths
SELF Magazine
8/23/2018
1:00
US approves its first over-the-counter birth control pill in landmark decision hailed by advocates
euronews (in English)
7/13/2023
1:50
Male contraceptive pill - we asked men if they would take it
NationalWorld.com
4/25/2023
0:55
FDA approves OTC Birth Control
Benzinga
7/14/2023
5:08
7 simple questions on the abortion pill
Brut America
3/25/2025
1:49
Everything to Know About Abortion Pills
Cosmopolitan USA
2/28/2023
1:37
Free condoms: Why do some EU members provide them and others do not?
euronews (in English)
2/13/2023
4:27
18 Underrated Things to Do in The Florida Keys, According to a Local | Crowd-Free Guides | Afar
AFAR
7/11/2025
8:01
The Different Types Of Alien You Should Know About
Unveiled
11/25/2024
8:54
Will Aliens Look Like Human Beings?
Unveiled
11/22/2024
10:02
Will Humans EVER Live on Mars?
Unveiled
11/2/2024
1:02:43
AFAR Live March 4th: A Virtual Trip to Paris
AFAR
1/9/2024
36:00
Netflix's "Somebody Feed Phil" star Phil Rosenthal talks travel, food, and where he wants to go next
AFAR
1/9/2024
5:20
What If All the Sea Water Becomes Fresh Water?
WHAT IF
2/21/2024
3:31
What If We Covered the Moon With Solar Panels?
WHAT IF
2/19/2024
4:29
What If the Earth Was Cut in Half?
WHAT IF
2/16/2024
3:53
What If We Could Harness the Energy of a Black Hole?
WHAT IF
2/14/2024