Birth control campaign: Let’s Go There

Jun 17, 2011 5:26 PM by Karen Hawthorne

Posted in Health & Wellness / Women's Health / Wellness

Take Control Of
Your Birth Control

Actress JoAnna Garcia Swisher, known for her TV role as Reba’s teenage daughter on Reba, is taking a stand for young women. She has teamed up with Merck, manufacturer of the Nuvaring, to launch a social media campaign for young women to talk about birth control options. The campaign is the culmination of a survey of 2,000 U.S. women, ages 20 to 39, which found that women are confident in their relationships and career, but may not be taking the same initiative when it comes to birth control. Here’s our Q&A with Swisher.

Let's Go There Birth Control Campaign

SheKnows: Why is the Let's Go There campaign important to you personally?

JoAnna Garcia Swisher: Women's health issues have always been an enormous priority for me, and I also love the idea of celebrating that we're an empowered generation of women. ... I think it's a must to make your health a priority and want to encourage women to take control of their lives and to believe in themselves.

Reaching out to women

SheKnows: You do a lot of outreach work, focusing on young women's empowerment. Did your TV character on Reba set you on this path?

JoAnna Garcia Swisher: My role on Reba didn't specifically set me on this path of wanting to reach out to women and support them. But my time on Reba made me aware of how blessed I was to be living my dreams. My hope was and still is that every woman could feel that sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Being an actress, I have the ability to reach so many people, and I felt like it was my responsibility to support women in this way.

Birth control options

SheKnows: Why campaign for this on Facebook?

JoAnna Garcia Swisher: The purpose of the Facebook page is to spark the conversation between women and their healthcare providers. We give you tips and tools on how to take the first step to making your health as much of a priority as your relationships or your career. Our campaign is really all about getting women to realize that they have options when it comes to birth control and that they don't have to settle for something that may not fit their lifestyle. Throughout the campaign, I'll be posting tips and advice on health, life and love. So log on and check it out!

Be informed before choosing a birth control method

SheKnows: A large percentage of survey respondents said they'd prefer not taking a birth control pill every day, but this is considered among the most safe and effective contraceptives. Merck's Nuvaring implant has faced controversy with lawsuits over its safety and effectiveness.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher: Birth control is such an individual decision and it's important that you find something that fits your lifestyle. No one option will be right for everyone so I encourage women to be informed about what's out there and then talk to your doctor. When you go to speak to your doctor, he or she can give you more information on the pros and cons of all of the options.

Find the campaign at www.facebook.com/letsgothere.

More on birth control options for young women

Discussing sex and birth control with your teen
The teens and birth control debate
Birth control: Barrier methods for women

Tags: birth control joanna garcia women's health

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