By Caroline Kraft

A source for my first department story inspired me to look at the downside of being on the birth control pill while engaging in casual sex. Kaitlin explained that she stopped using the pill so she could be smarter about her sexual encounters. Kaitlin’s idea may seem counterintuitive at first, because the pill is about 99 percent effective against pregnancy when used correctly. However, as Kaitlin explained her reasons for quitting the pill, I realized that she has a valid point. She said that using the birth control pill gives people an excuse to have sex with whomever, whenever because people are less concerned about pregnancy.

Based on the research I’ve read, it would make sense that many people would have no qualms about having casual sex if pregnancy weren’t a concern. A 2009 Iowa State study of sexual risk-taking in college students revealed that only 50 percent of participants were concerned about contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The birth control pill does not reduce a person’s risk of catching an STI, but half of college students don’t worry about STIs anyway. Maybe people are more likely to use condoms, and thus, protect themselves from STIs when they do not have the reassurance of the pill for preventing pregnancy. In a perfect world, people on the pill would always use a condom as well, but for those who engage in casual sex and need some motivation to protect themselves from STIs, ditching the pill for a box of condoms could be a win-win solution.