Contraceptives are generally defined as “any drug, device, or biological product intended for use in the prevention of pregnancy, whether specifically intended to prevent pregnancy or for other health needs, that is legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, such as oral contraceptives, long-acting reversible contraceptives, emergency contraceptives, internal and external condoms, injectables, vaginal barrier methods, transdermal patches, and vaginal rings, or other contraceptives.”

A number of red states (i.e., Republican controlled states) — the same states that have either banned or significantly restricted abortions — are discussing or making legislative efforts that could potentially restrict access to most forms of birth control. For instance, there’s a push in Idaho to ban emergency contraception like Plan B and IUDs by a powerful lobbying group. Some states have also targeted birth control methods that they claim cause abortions.

In the U.S. House and Senate, Democrats have drafted bills that would protect a woman’s right to access contraception. But in the Senate this week, Republicans blocked such legislation that would have codified the right to contraception access nationwide.

Why is it that those who oppose abortion also oppose the use of contraception, or at least making contraceptives readily available? I have discussed this in the past, but I still cannot wrap my head around the rationale. It seems to me that the best way to prevent abortion is to prevent unwanted pregnancy. So those who oppose access to affordable contraception, are not really “pro-life.”

Fact: contraception prevents unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. Women who choose to have abortions do so, to a large extent, because of such pregnancies. Doesn’t it follow, then, that advocating the use of contraceptives and promoting their availability would reduce the demand for abortions?

But that logic seems to be beyond what most religious and social conservatives can grasp, so they continue to follow the paradox of being opposed to both contraception and abortion.