Rep. Lauren UnderwoodVerified account

Thank you. Without coverage for birth control to help with my severe #endometriosis, I would have already had more than the two surgeries I’ve had. Which, of course, costs everyone WAY more than the actual course of treatment. The ignorance is staggering

Side note: It takes on average 7-8 years to diagnose #endometriosis because male gynecologists have believed for years that “pain is part of being a woman.” So remember that men—from drs to lawmakers—have too often and too long had a negative effect on women’s reproductive health

Hey @SecretaryAcosta - before I had ever had sex, I had bronchitis and the flu. I wasn't getting better, for months. My doctor recommended birth control pills because I bled so heavy. I finally got better. I had to drop 2 classes in college. Today, I'm a rocket scientist.

YES, birth control treats medical conditions. YES, I did recover thanks to it. NO, I had never had sex because apparently a purity test is required for you men. But it's just a drug like anything else. And it enabled me to get on with my life and work for NASA. WTF have you done?

Thank you Rep. Underwood. Today, I am contacting my GYN because palliative care is not enough to ease the pain from endometriosis and ovarian cysts. Contraceptives will be the first step in treatment to see if I will be fully functional all days of the month.

I lose at the very least 2 days a month to extreme pain and fatigue. Extreme exhaustion has been a part of my life for at least 15 years, and infertility my reality. It's taken me too long to get to a diagnosis and now seeking more treatment. Not losing coverage is key to healing

It’s literally amazing to me how these old men seem to know absolutely nothing about science or anatomy or women’s bodies but still get to make all of the rules? That doesn’t make any logical sense at all...

When ever I tell a man over 40 that I have an IUD they ask me if it’s in my arm

Here's the deal though, it's not Sec. Acosta's business what a woman decides to do with her body. She could take birth control pills for birth control and it still isn't Sec. Acosta's damn business.

100% agree. It’s not surprising but still appalling he knows so little about something that affects so many women’s lives and I’m glad Rep Underwood pushed him on this