Catholic health agencies may make it harder for women to access contraception. The reproductive rights of couples have been under fire lately, and the overturning of Roe vs. Wade sparked a fire of conversation. Some states have already implemented abortion bans, and this means women and men are trying to make sure they prevent any unwanted pregnancies.
For them, this means birth control, and couples are making sure that they are protecting themselves from falling pregnant, a situation that could now be detrimental to their health and wellbeing. It has been assumed that contraception is easy to access, and it has been a point made by a lot of those who are opposed to abortion.
However, what happens when couples cannot access birth control effectively? It seems like a vicious cycle. According to NPR, Catholic health care has such a wide reach that it can make contraception hard to access in a lot of places.
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This was made clear when students returned to Oberlin College in Ohio, and they found out that the health services had been outsourced to Catholic health agencies, and they found that contraceptives would only be given out for health problems - and not to prevent pregnancy. Students would only be able to access contraception if they were a victim of sexual assault.
While this college has come up with a new plan to make sure students have access to birth control, for any reason, it highlights a growing problem that may start affecting couples everywhere. This reach can be found in urgent care centers, doctors' offices, and outpatient surgery centers that have either been bought by, or merged with Catholic health services. They can also apply in situations like this when a Catholic health service is outsourced by different institutions.
A 2020 report, which can be read in full here, found that 4 out of the 10 largest health care systems in the US are Catholic, and this can be concerning for couples all across the country, especially those who are not in a state that allows abortions. They may fear that they will not be able to prevent pregnancy, and then if they do fall pregnant, they will not have the ability to make the choice for their body. This also shows the ripple effect that the overturning of Roe vs. Wade has had across the country, and how it has highlighted other concerns for reproductive rights.
Sources: NPR, Community Catalyst