Bill advances requiring fewer trips to the pharmacy for women's contraception
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, asks a question about a bill on May 30, 2024. (Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would make it easier for women to obtain contraceptives despite opposition from a small bloc of Republicans who put up a lengthy argument that it results in murder.
Senate Bill 176, by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, would require insurance companies that cover contraceptives to allow women to obtain a six month supply, reducing the number of annual visits to the pharmacy, after obtaining a three-month prescription.
Dossett said the bill was not about abortion, but aimed to increase access to preventative contraceptive medications.
Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, disagreed and cited the The Physicians' Desk Reference.
'It induces the abortion or murder of a human embryo since a new human being has been created at fertilization, which is conception,' Deevers said.
Deevers asked Dossett if she believed 'abortion is murder' and a violation of Oklahoma law and the Bible's sixth Commandment, which prohibits killing.
While most women rely on the birth control pill to prevent pregnancy, oral contraception is used to treat other conditions, including acne, irregular periods, cramps, migraines and endometriosis.
KFF reported in November that 82% of women of reproductive age used contraception in the past year, with condoms and oral birth control being the most common.
Deevers focused on the side effects of various forms of contraception and the personal experiences of he and his wife.
'These drugs are very dangerous,' he said.
Deevers said that women's brains shrink while on birth control, leading to more depression and anger and increased rates of suicide. He also said women experience a decreased sexual drive, leading to less intercourse while on hormonal birth control. He did not cite a source for that information.
Deevers said that women using a combination of oral birth control and the patch or the vaginal ring have two to four times higher rate of blood clots, thus an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and cervical cancer.
Medical experts say there is a small risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks for women using birth control, though they note that women's risk of experiencing the first two medical conditions is actually higher during pregnancy. Taking oral birth control for five or more years can increase the risk of cervical cancer, but the risk subsides after stopping the pill, according to the American Cancer Society. There is no known risk of cancer for women who use non-hormonal intrauterine devices, or IUDs.
Women do not take medication they don't want, Dossett said. No one is being forced to take birth control, she said.
She said she preferred not to talk about what people do in the privacy of their homes.
Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, said enabling women to plan a pregnancy leads to healthier outcomes and improved economic stability.
Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, urged his colleagues not to increase women's access.
'I'm begging you to not do this, not only for the children whose lives will be saved, but also for the women who will not be harmed by taking these so-called medications,' Hamilton said.
The bill passed by a vote of 33-13 and is available for consideration in the House.
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