The high cost of not having babies

My husband and I have been together for almost 11 years. We are monogamous and very committed to each other. I don't like hormonal birth control and while condoms aren't as bad as some people make them out to be, I figured there had to be something more convenient. After 11 years, condom nookie interruptions were getting old.

Last fall an online friend mentioned she had a copper IUD and loved it. I was intrigued and started researching it as an option. After much research I discovered that they are extremely safe (unlike the infamous Dalkon Shield) and have efficacy rates comparable to sterilization. I also liked the fact that it's not permanent. I should add that there is a great deal of misunderstanding in regards to how IUD's work. They do NOT cause "an abortion once a month" as some people have been led to believe by the Anti-Choice/Anti-Abortion movement. (I refuse to call such people "Pro-life" because the vast majority of them are not in fact Pro-Life. But that is a whole other rant which deserves it's own blog entry.) IUD's prevent fertilization. As it happens, I am almost a perfect candidate for an IUD.

After several months of consideration I decided to give it a try. I went to Planned Parenthood to get it. They are known for providing contraceptives. I felt they would have more experience in the insertion process than a typical ob/gyn. The nurse practitioner was obviously extremely knowledgeable, certainly as thorough as the best Dr. and I liked her bedside manner much more than any ob/gyn I've ever met. After all was said and done I spent $400 for 10 years of birth control. I think that's a fantastic value and money very well spent! Several months later I'm very happy with the choice I made.

In discussing birth control among online friends, another woman I know decided she wanted to get an IUD as well. She lives in a Midwestern state. She called up her ob/gyn in addition to Planned Parenthood. In her state PP is charging the same price as the Dr. office, which is $725 (almost double the price I paid). When she asked PP why it's so much more than what I paid she was told that in some states they get funding to help offset the cost. Their state doesn't get that funding.

My online friend had to budget for about 3 months to come up with $400 to pay for it. She figured $400 would cover it and tried to make an appointment to get it. That's when she found out the cost in her state. Now she's going to have to budget for another few months to come up with the rest. It's still cheaper than the pill and certainly more convenient. I cannot believe they make it so difficult for people to get birth control! It's certainly less expensive to get an IUD than it is to get pregnant and have a baby. That's red state thinking for you though!

Edited to add: She found out that her insurance will cover at least 80% of the cost. She was shocked, but happy, to discover that they cover IUD's. So the moral of the story is to always call your insurance company and ask questions. It still annoys me that a lack in state funding can make birth control so expensive.