Paediatric society calls for free birth control for everyone under 25

The Canadian Paediatric Society is recommending that everyone under 25 should get confidential access to free birth control.

In a statement released Thursday, the society said access to contraception is a basic human right and should be funded through provincial, territorial and federal health plans. It also suggests that private insurers should cover the full cost of birth control.

According to the society, the direct costs of unintended youth pregnancies probably exceed $125 million a year. It says unintended pregnancies may derail life plans, especially for youths.

The paper says free birth control can ensure young women can make choices around having children which gives them greater control over their bodies and future.

The society says both the Canadian Medical Association and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada have proposed that provincial, territorial and federal health care plans cover 100 per cent of costs of all contraceptives for all Canadian women.

It says while universal contraception coverage would increase public spending by an estimated $157 million annually, this expense would be more than offset by the $320 million saved in direct medical costs related to unintended pregnancy.