The Anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut

Planned Parenthood kindly authored this post exclusively for Every Mother Counts.

Forty-seven years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut, which legalized birth control for married couples in all 50 states, and is credited with paving the way for the nearly unanimous acceptance of contraception that now exists in this country.

In their decision, the justices recognized birth control as a right protected under our Constitution. But the 1965 ruling was more than a referendum on constitutional rights. It was also a decision that enabled marked improvements in maternal and infant health. In fact, access to birth control has had such a dramatic impact on women and families in this country that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of the top 10 public health achievements of the past century.

Before the 1965 Griswold decision, 32 women were dying for every 100,000 live births in this country. Today the rate is less than half that. Infant mortality has fallen even faster — from 25 deaths to fewer than seven deaths per 1,000 live births — as more children are born to parents who planned their births. That’s a 74 percent reduction in infant deaths!

Today, virtually every sexually active woman in the U.S. has used birth control at some point in her life to prevent unintended pregnancies or space her children so that she and her baby will be healthy during and following pregnancy. Bottom line: Birth control is basic health care for women. That’s why Planned Parenthood is encouraging women to take time out this month to make a five-year birth control plan. The plan should consider a variety of factors, including health concerns, education and career goals, age, relationship status, and your desire for children. They even have an infographic that outlines the key questions to ask yourself as you figure out your five-year plan.

Planned Parenthood has other great resources to help you figure out your personal birth control options.

- An interactive widget that will help you explore your birth control options and figure out what method might be best for you.

- Log on to find a local Planned Parenthood health center and make an appointment to see a health care provider who can help you figure out and get the right birth control for you.

While we’ve made great strides in this country, 215 million women around the world still lack access to modern contraception. Check out Planned Parenthood Global video Health Has No Borders to learn more about the global scope of the problem, and what you can do to help.