The average American woman’s life plan has changed drastically over the last few decades. It’s no longer start having sex, get married, and have a kid…all within 4 years. It’s now start having sex…continue having sex for about 9 years…then get married and have a kid in the year after that.
This means young women will need effective birth control for many years until their plans change.
Are you surprised by these changes?
Reference: Infographic from Guttmacher Institute’s Media Center. Based on data from: Finer LB and Philbin JM, Trends in ages at key reproductive transitions in the United States, 1951–2010, Women’s Health Issues 2014, 23:e1–e9.
The Pharmacists Clinic 
And if you went back farther than 1945, you’d probably find first (or near first) sex/ marriage/ first birth, second birth, third birth, too many births for a LOT of women who would have so loved to have the contraceptives available today. We need to work to insure today’s women have access and funding.
Fran, thank you for your comment. It’s a good reminder that the birth control methods available today were not available just a couple of generations ago. There’s a lot of work to be done to be sure that birth control can be accessed by those who choose to use it. Expanding access in pharmacies is one strategy that is being pursued.