I started the birth control pill when I was 14, not because I was having sex with all my fellow high school freshmen, but because my dermatologist prescribed it as a way to combat adolescent acne. To this day, my birth control prescription comes from my dermatologist. Sound strange? It’s not.

There seems to be some myth that if you are taking the pill, you must be having sex. The truth of the matter is that the pill provides so many health benefits and protections in addition to preventing pregnancy that there is no reason that any healthy woman over 18 should not be on the pill, regardless of whether or not she is sexually active. However, according to the Spring 2013 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment, only 61.6 percent of undergraduate females were reported as taking the pill.

First off, the pill has two general types — progestin-only and the “combined pill,” which contains progestin and estrogen. Both offer health benefits in addition to preventing pregnancy. According to Planned Parenthood, both types of pills reduce menstrual cramping, lighten the flow of periods and offer some protection against Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, which can lead to infertility.

All of that comes from the little pill you take once a day.

However, like any medication, the pill comes with risks. This being said, the negative side effects brought on by the pill, which include breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting and spotting between periods, are minor and usually go away within a few months as your body adjusts to the hormone increase.

There has also been widespread, fear-mongering reports of the more serious side effects of the pill, particularly the development of potentially fatal blood clots and links to breast cancer. These reports have heightened the misconception that taking the pill will inevitably lead to a fatal blood clot. In reality, complications from the pill are very rare and there are usually warning signs. Yes, there is a slight increase in the risk for developing fatal blood clots when taking the pill. Vestura, a generic form of the birth control pill Yaz, estimates that 3 to 9 women in 10,000 will develop a blood clot. Increased hormone levels may aggravate breast cancer if it is already present so those who have had breast cancer in the past should not take it. However, there is also no conclusive evidence that the pill causes breast cancer.

Claims the pill causes severe complications are either grossly exaggerated or unscientific and should not prevent healthy women from going on the pill.

Of course, if you are currently sexually active or anticipate becoming sexually active, it is better to be safe rather than sorry and the pill is the safest option there is. It is commonly known that the pill is 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy when taken every day as directed. According to the Center for Disease Control, the pill maintains a 91 percent effectiveness with typical use (typical use assumes that a form of birth control is not properly used every time). This is much more effective than condoms, which have a failure rate of nearly 20 percent with typical use.

Furthermore, birth control has recently become more accessible than ever before. While under current federal law women still need a medical prescription to get the pill, this prescription is not difficult to get — a quick visit to UHS, a gynecologist or a local Planned Parenthood will provide you with the chance to get the necessary prescription for the specific birth control pill that is best for your personal needs. The same law requires parental permission for girls under 18. This is why college is the time to take charge of your sexual and overall well-being — once you turn 18 going on the pill is your decision and your decision alone.

In addition, the recently-implemented Affordable Care Act made most forms of contraceptives, including the pill, significantly cheaper or in some situations (like mine) completely free.

There is no reason for college-aged women not to be on the pill. Once you turn 18, going on the pill becomes your decision and seriously, this decision is a no-brainer. The pill provides a plethora of health benefits and protections with minimal negative side effects and minimal risk of serious complications. Now is the time to see a doctor and explore your personal options for oral contraceptives — there has never been a time when the pill has been more accessible and the benefits are abundant regardless of if you are sexually active or abstinent.

Madeline Sweitzer ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in political science and intending to major in journalism.