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Study: Free Birth Control Leads to Fewer Abortions

Oct. 4, 2012 9:54pm Jason Howerton

This undated file photo provided by Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., shows a package of Plan B' One-Step, an emergency contraceptive. (AP)

WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — Free birth control led to dramatically lower rates of abortions and teen births, a large study concluded Thursday, offering strong evidence for how a bitterly contested Obama administration policy could benefit women’s health.

The project tracked more than 9,000 women in St. Louis, many of them poor or uninsured. They were given their choice of a range of contraceptive methods at no cost – from birth control pills to goof-proof options like the IUD or a matchstick-sized implant.

When price wasn’t an issue, women flocked to the most effective contraceptives – the implanted options, which typically cost hundreds of dollars up-front to insert. These women experienced far fewer unintended pregnancies as a result, reported Dr. Jeffrey Peipert of Washington University in St. Louis in a study published Thursday.

The effect on teen pregnancy was striking: There were 6.3 births per 1,000 teenagers in the study. Compare that to a national rate of 34 births per 1,000 teens in 2010.

There also were substantially lower rates of abortion, when compared with women in the metro area and nationally: 4.4 to 7.5 abortions per 1,000 women in the study, compared with 13.4 to 17 abortions per 1,000 women overall in the St. Louis region, Peipert calculated. That’s lower than the national rate, too, which is almost 20 abortions per 1,000 women.

In fact, if the program were expanded, one abortion could be prevented for every 79 to 137 women given a free contraceptive choice, Peipert’s team reported in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The findings of the study, which ran from 2008 to 2010, come as millions of U.S. women are beginning to get access to contraception without copays under President Barack Obama’s health care law. Women’s health specialists said the research foreshadows that policy’s potential impact.

“As a society, we want to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortion rates. This study has demonstrated that having access to no-cost contraception helps us get to that goal,” said Alina Salganicoff, director of women’s health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“It’s just an amazing improvement,” Dr. James T. Breeden, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said of the results. “I would think if you were against abortions, you would be 100 percent for contraception access.”

The law requires that Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptives be available for free for women enrolled in most workplace insurance plans, a change that many will see as new plan years begin on Jan. 1.

In this Aug. 27, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (Credit: AP)

The policy is among the law’s most contentious provisions because it exempts churches that oppose contraception but requires religious-affiliated organizations, such as colleges or hospitals, to provide the coverage for their workers. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and many conservative groups say that violates religious freedom, and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has voiced similar criticism.

This week, a federal judge in St. Louis dismissed a lawsuit challenging the contraception mandate; nearly three dozen similar suits have been filed around the country.

Thursday’s data didn’t sway the critics.

Jeanne Monahan of the conservative Family Research Council suggested contraceptive use can encourage riskier sexual behavior.

“Additionally, one might conclude that the Obama administration’s contraception mandate may ultimately cause more unplanned pregnancies since it mandates that all health plans cover contraceptives, including those that the study’s authors claim are less effective,” Monahan said.

Nearly half of the nation’s 6 million-plus pregnancies each year are unintended. An estimated 43 percent of them end in abortion. Low-income women are far more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy than their wealthier counterparts.

“We shouldn’t have, in my view, a tiered system where the women with money can get family planning and the women without cannot,” said Peipert, noting that 39 percent of the women in his study had trouble paying basic expenses.

About half of unplanned pregnancies occur in women who use no contraception. As for the other half, condoms can fail and so can birth control pills or other shorter-acting methods if the woman forgets to use them or can’t afford a refill.

In contrast, you can forget about pregnancy for three years with Implanon, the implant inserted under the skin of the arm. An IUD, a tiny T-shaped device inserted into the uterus, can last for five to 10 years, depending on the brand. Change your mind, and the doctor removes either device before it wears out.

Only about 5 percent of U.S. women use long-acting contraceptives, far fewer than in other developed countries. Peipert said insurance hasn’t always covered the higher upfront cost to insert them, even though years of birth control pills can add up to the same price.

Yet three-quarters of his study participants chose an IUD or Implanon, and a year later 85 percent were sticking that choice – compared to about half who had initially chosen the pill, patch or other shorter-acting method.

Cost isn’t the only barrier. Doctors don’t always mention long-acting methods, maybe because of a long-outdated belief that IUDs aren’t for young women or just because they assume women want the most commonly prescribed pill.

That was the case for Ashley England, 26, of Nashville, Tenn., who enrolled in the study while in graduate school in St. Louis. She had taken birth control pills for years but struggled with a $50 monthly copay. She switched to a five-year IUD, and loves that she and her husband don’t have to think about contraception.

“No one had ever presented all the options equally,” England said. “It’s not telling you what to do. It’s giving you a choice unhindered by money.”

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (88)

Chromo200
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:09am
I am surprised that Ashley England of Tennessee does not ask for a monthly stipend for food of $500 a month, a new car, house payment since she and her husband are struggling. What a lot of crock … we all are struggling and we all do the best we can. Does she want a kid down the road then have her husband freeze his sperm and then get a vasectomy. She then can have sex all she wants, but then she may not be able to have an affair if she wants to.

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- antiprogressive
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:53am
  free birth control is a 2 sided coin.
  Less pregnancies/abortions for young girls but more sex, leading to higher STD cases.
  
  If STDs could be ignored, I’d be 100% in favor.
  Fewer pregnancies particularly to young girls would eventually drop the welfare roles and allow them to pursue better jobs, finish college etc.
  
  This is my one MAJOR disconnect with republicans.
  This is an investment for the nation’s future.
  
  Further, why should insurance even be necessary?
  Put them on the front counter at Walgreens and give them out free.
  The Gvmt can foot the billl directly.
  If they are free, free, free, there would be no need for theft, resale and a black market of such.
  
  Question:
  Who decides which company/companies supply them and make the lion’s share of the profits?
  There’s gonna be a payoff here somewhere…
  
  Report this comment
- NORTHBRO
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 6:33am
  Wait a sec, Free abortion pill leads to fewer abortions?
  
  Report this comment
- Bohump
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 8:46am
  They Are Free ? .. Dam .. Now the Girl’s Can Take Them by the Handfull ! .. Have At It Girl’s .
  
  Report this comment
- JRook
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:52am
  Duh of course it does. Your telling me someone here was surprised at that. Unwanted pregnancies is as much a public health problem as in birth defects in closed communities like the Amish. Look at how much the states like PA and OH spend on genetic counseling for the Amish.
  
  Report this comment
- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 12:17am
  Jrook – So there’s no individual responsibility when it comes to someone’s sex life. If you’re so worried about unplanned pregnancies, why don’t you provide your own money to take care of these people. It’s not my responsibility to take care of other people.
  
  Report this comment
- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 12:31am
  I also don’t buy into Ashley’s story of struggling to come up with $50 per month on birth control. I wonder how much she spends per month on goodies.
  
  Report this comment
James12703
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:04am
We need to look at this realistically. Yes waiting until marriage would cut down on abortions but that’s not going to happen. People used to get married younger so more people were married when they had sex. Now many people wait until their mid to late twenties to marry. You know there’s other ways to do it that don’t cause pregnancy? People need to accept personal responsibility.

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- PutMoreOnMyPlate
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 3:31am
  With free contraception, why are abortions still legal?
  
  Report this comment
COMMON-SENSE-PATRIOT
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:04am
Go figure! Another skewed study producing more skewed results.
So 9000 women take part in a study to see if they will become unintentionally pregnant.
Could it be that awareness played a factor???
When one knows that they are under the microscope their behaviors will change drastically!
And the birth control provided to them was most certainly not free!!!

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- woodyee
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:28am
  How does someone get “unintentionally” pregnant. If you put part A into part B, it’s bound to happen sooner or later.
  
  Report this comment
Maxim Crux
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:50pm
They do not care about how they achieve Eugenics. It is all of the above. How many innocent babies and even perhaps mature people where killed or maimed perfecting it so lawsuits would not cripple them?

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South Philly Boy
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:46pm
So the reason is why there are so many abortions is because those woman are CHEAP and rather Not Spend the MONEY

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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:37am
  Yet these same women claim to be independent and that they don’t need a man when they need someone else to pay for their birth control.
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 5:05am
  Most are just poor.
  
  Report this comment
- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 12:19am
  Voiceofstupidity – Then they can go without sex if they can’t afford to pay for their own birth control. How come these same women who claim to be poor can afford to spend over $100 per month on Starbucks, entertainment, or other wants in life yet they can’t afford to spend birth control, which is far cheaper per month?
  
  Report this comment
endthemindlessspending
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:44pm
So lets give every woman an IUD whenever they want and be done with it. Nothing could go wrong with that approach right? WRONG!!

I’m sure everyone has seen those fantastic commercials lawyers are running for medical malpractice. Oh thats right there is one for IUDs. So, we give it to them free and the doctors get jibbed on the bill. Then they have issues cause it wasn’t the safest choice in the first place, so they file a lawsuit and get loaded because they didn’t want to deal with consequences. That will really help health care cost go down. What has made health care costs rise at an astronomical rate? People paying nothing and suing the hospital for any side effect. They go there for a sickness, take a man made thing to counter act the problem, then expect everything to always smell like roses. I’m sorry but does no one understand the idea of cause and effect anymore. You put something in your body and there is going to be a reaction you might not always like.

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- listeninginVT
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 1:00am
  Yes, I thought that same thing. these ‘long term’ options are NOT tested for Long Term effects to your health. Take the ‘pill’, the rates of breast and ovarian cancers went through the roof after that became the ‘preferred contraceptive’ when it came out, people still use this options, having the ‘side effects’, including heart attacks and stroke and Death, and say ‘oh, this is good for me’….. Maybe I’m ‘slow’ but every study, long term, non-pharmicutical paid for Study, Tells the same story, this will mess you up in ways you don’t expect Because you are messing with a complex chemical system, otherwise known as the female body, and forcing it to behave contrary to how we are made, stresses the whole body ending in long term health issues or death…. And remember Every Pharmecutical Co and Chemical Co. has paid ‘settlement fines’ to the Fed Gov’t for Lying about their products, does it work, is it safe etc…..lied lied lied! the Co.’s don’t want to go to court and instead settle for BLLIONS of $$$$$….. research to make better choices.
  
  Report this comment
wbvrjr
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:43pm
Don’t show Plan B as an alternate to abortion. It is an abortifacient in its very workings.

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Alborn49
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:24pm
One question comes to mind. Why hasn’t Planned Parenthood been providing free contraception to women? Isn’t that what the federal money that they get is for and not used for abortions. Ha! Just saying they (PP) are supposed to be all about women’s health issues.

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- mbriz
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:51pm
  They are. 2%-3%, are abortions, the rest is prenatal care, teaching women who didn’t necessarily have good role models, how to care for a child, how to be a mother. There have been more then a few studies that show the benefits of Planned Parenthood in reducing the child’s long term burden on the state.
  You have dishonest whore Senators, like Kyle, of Az, who on the floor of the house, told his coven of conspirators, and the world, the they, P.P. did 90%-95% abortions. He said he knew his facts were wrong, but he was trying to make a point, he was making a point with lie. Trying to kill something that actually works, that is a positive for human life, and the money saved, a drop in the bucket, big picture wise. People have to start being more important then money.
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:53pm
  You are so ill informed it’s pathetic.
  
  Report this comment
- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:56pm
  Mrbiz – If you guys are really that important, then take care of them with your own money. It’s not my responsibility to provide for these women just b/c they didn’t have the upbringing they needed.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:10pm
…
I’m all for the implant contraceptive, to prevent abortions, because uneducated low IQ people don’t have the good sense to know how to properly use birth control.

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- endthemindlessspending
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:47pm
  That will only make things worse, see my other post about malpractice suit that will happen.
  
  Report this comment
- woodyee
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:24am
  Nor do they know how to resist instinctive urges like civilized humans instead of acting on impulse like wild beasts – if they did, we wouldn’t need to be discussing this.
  
  Report this comment
rsletto
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:05pm
so does abstinence and not getting one in the first place.

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ALfromVAl
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:01pm
Jeopardy/Hide his food stamps under his work boots. anybody?

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Lordcsmith
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:59pm
Jeebus, how things change but stay the same. In the thirties, it was the responsible thing to do to sterilize these folks for the good of society. That was considered fascist. Now, it’s considered choice and it’s the responsible thing to do. Same people who wanted sterilization then are still around now. Same idea, we just got them to get in line with words and not guns. Clever.

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- Rajabear1
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:16pm
  Exactly what I was thinking—-if they’re all excited about the results from free contraceptives, then wait till they see the kind of results they’ll get from a free sterilization! And IT IS ONLY A ONE TIME FEE!!! Line on up cattle—er, umm, I mean ‘ladies.’ Here’s a question: how do theses ‘poor’ people pay for the abortions when they get pregnant? They seem to be able to scrape together enough when they need to extinguish a life, but not enough to purchase their own implant/rubbers/pills avoid getting pregnant in the first place…AP does realize that most likely all contraceptives cost less than just one abortion? Right?
  
  Report this comment
- loneindividual
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:24pm
  No one should be sterilized.
  
  It’s destroys the power of creation within you.
  
  You shouldn’t suggest it to anyone.
  
  People should discipline themselves. I am at present tolerant of buffers preventing creation (pregnancy) but I will never go about spreading or causing destruction of creation or the powers thereof.
  
  It moves you away from God to destroy creation.
  
  Report this comment
- mbriz
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:27pm
  You guys live in your own little fantasy world, or are smoking some good sh_t.
  
  Report this comment
- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:57pm
  Mbriz – Don’t project your own dope problems onto others.
  
  Report this comment
- Rajabear1
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:21am
  I hope it came through that I was being sarcastic in my previous comment…I, by no means, think people should be sterilized by force or by ‘convincing’ I think social engineering is a sick premise and cruel. I just find it completely odd the abstinence never enters these people’s conversation or equation, not even thrown out there as an option. In fact, it is mocked as though humans have no self control-specifically teens. Lord help the famous folks, young or old, that ever admit publicly to being a virgin or abstains.
  
  Report this comment
- Lordcsmith
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:38am
  Mbriz, go read about the history of the eugenics movement in America. We were chummy with the fascists until the sinking of the Lousitania. Heck, we modeled our school system after them. They were pushing those ideas in the thirties. It’s not that far of a stretch when those folks haven’t even hit the grave yet. It doesn’t take drugs to see it, just an acknowledgment that there was a world that existed with people and agendas before you got here.
  
  Report this comment
woodyee
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:57pm
Well waddaya know? 33 days outside of a Romney “Repeal Gaybamacare” epic landslide victory, and a study suddenly materializes out of thin air supporting one of Gaybama’s mandates…

Did you read the whole story? If so, WHO FUNDED the study? Hmmm?

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RightThinking1
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:49pm
Free money leads to fewer bankruptcies.

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jp2feminist
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:46pm
1. What about STDs? 2. What about the unknown side affects of long term or high dosage use of artificial hormones? 3. What about pelvic inflammatory disease caused by IUDs? 4. What about the human life that is discarded and disrespected through the use of Plan B and IUDs? Clearly, the government only cares about poor minority women in so much as they don’t want them to reproduce. Margaret Sanger lives.

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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:59pm
  The left doesn’t care about STDs.
  
  Report this comment
mbriz
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:45pm
People are going to have sex, it’s fun, just say no, doesn’t always work, and babies happen, it’s a fact. If this leads to less baby killing, less unwanted, and abused children sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

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- SUNTZU
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:55pm
  Babies, the reason for sex,not the side effect
  birth control is ok by me,however after conception,it’s MURDER…
  
  Report this comment
- JimmyP
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:24pm
  Yes, bec you have no morals.
  
  My good God man, didn’t parents ever say to you, “Well, if everone else is jumping into the lake, then i suppose you would want to do so, too?”
  
  What’s that, you say – they never said that? Well that is where your problem is, my friend!
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:56pm
  Making babies is not the reason 99.9% of all intercourse takes place.
  Is that you Rick Santorum?
  
  Report this comment
- fammus1
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:04am
  @suntzu
  So much more involved in “sex” than makin’ babies. If I made a baby every time I wouldn’t stick around too long. Good partners make good parents.
  
  Report this comment
- endthemindlessspending
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:09am
  Thanks for writing everyone off as a moral less, self centered, fornicating and irresponsible person. The only problem with that is that there are people who just don’t look at sex as one big party to have fun. People who know that they aren’t in a good situation to have a child so they keep their pants up. They are the same people who don’t want to pay for others to just have a ***-it-al mentality. Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are many people who still look at sex as a great responsibility and choose to treat it as one. They also know that yes things do not always go as planned, but have what it takes to handle things responsible when things don’t go as planned. They don’t say, this is not the outcome I wanted so I need to find a way to end it.
  
  Report this comment
- Pontiac
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:11am
  Please, this isn’t a black and white issue… Without higher neurological functions (well past a zygote stage) you don’t have a case for “murder” unless someone caused a miscarriage of a “wanted” pregnancy. Oh and the greatest abortionist of all time is god (nature). Many women don’t even know they had a miscarriage.
  
  “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, INFANT and SUCKLING, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” –1 Samuel 15:3
  
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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 12:27am
  Voiceofstupidity – It doesn’t matter if you want to have sex yet not get pregnant at the same time. Nobody intends to get an STD when having sex yet people get them from having sex. It doesn’t make it somebody else’s responsibility to have to pay for your birth control, STD tests and treatments, pregnancy tests, abortions, prenatal care, child birth, and child care.
  
  Report this comment
KingDork
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:43pm
morals and selfcontrol does the same thing and cost nothing

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Tri-ox
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:41pm
Getting rid of obama and his anti-traditional marriage, pro-promiscuity, pro-adolescent sexual activity, pro-abortion cabal will lead to fewer abortions.

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- mbriz
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:49pm
  You should have been a candidate for zotching, we have enough of stupid, and hateful, but thanks for playing.
  
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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:58pm
  Mbriz – Don’t get upset that Tri-Ox’s solution actually works while yours doesn’t. And if your BS claim of “they’re going to have sex anyway” then let them face the consequences anyway.
  
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krod2516
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:35pm
Im sure it does, the question is…. Do we really think a world with only wanted babies is better?

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Watermain
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:29pm
And free credit cards leads to fewer bankruptcies.

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RAMJR
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:15pm
Waiting to have sex, till after marriage and a responsible adult, leads to fewer abortions. Are people really that stupid about commonsense these days.

Study says free phones lead to more Obama voters…This just in, tax payers told they just inherited the debt of more entitlement minded morons!

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colascguy
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:12pm
Did the same study track the rate of STDs per 1000 on free birth control as compare to per 1000 not on free birth control?

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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 12:35am
  The only birth control method that reduces the risk of STDs are condoms. But abstinence is the most effective way of preventing unwanted pregnancies and STDs.
  
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godhatesacoward
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:06pm
Responsable people lead to less abortions.

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dealer@678
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:06pm
Make her hold a penny between her knees has the same effect and it dont cost notta

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KangarooJack
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 10:02pm
So does crossing your legs.

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