6 Reasons Why People Take Birth Control (Only One Is Pregnancy Prevention)

Although politicians continue to debate the importance of birth control, let’s get one thing straight: Birth control is vital to health. It gives people the opportunity to plan their futures and families and decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant — and 87% of adults believe that is “one of the most important decisions” a person can make. Plus, according to a 2017 study, more than 85% of adults agree that birth control is a basic part of women’s health care.

No one should have to explain why they’re opting for a specific type of medical treatment, but with so many birth control myths floating around, it’s important to clarify that contraception isn’t just used for pregnancy prevention — though there’s nothing wrong or shameful about using it for that reason. In fact, a survey that from Seventeen magazine and Power To Decide (the campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy) found that 57% of girls ages 15-18 (and a whopping 77% of the 15- to 16-year-olds) were primarily using birth control for reasons other than pregnancy prevention. So whether it's hormonal or non-hormonal, long-acting or a quick condom, birth control is vital for many people for many reasons.

In case you need more convincing (or someone you know does), here are just a few reasons that people might need, want, or choose to use birth control.